Template of Guideline Attributes

The Template of Guideline Attributes is the primary tool used to develop NGC guideline summaries. This template lists each guideline attribute, its description, and controlled vocabulary values where applicable.

Guideline Title	Identifies the complete title of the guideline.
Bibliographic Source(s)	Identifies the complete bibliographic source(s) for the published guideline as disseminated by the guideline developer(s). The number of references cited is included for each source. Links are provided to PubMed where applicable.
Guideline Status	Identifies the current status of the summary including whether the guideline is an updated version of a previously issued document, whether an update is in progress, and whether the guideline meets the 2013 (revised) inclusion criteria.
Regulatory Alert
FDA Warning/Regulatory Alert	Identifies important warnings and/or revised regulatory information released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or other official regulatory body for a drug and/or device for which recommendations are provided in the original guideline document.
Scope
Disease/Condition(s)	Identifies the major areas of clinical medicine or health care addressed in the guideline. Values are expressed using the natural language expressions found in the text of the guideline.
Other Disease/Condition(s) Addressed	Indicates the presence of multiple chronic conditions by listing co-existing or comorbid chronic diseases or conditions for which specific recommendations are provided. For example, if heart disease is the primary condition but the guideline also provides recommendations for treatment of co-occurring depression, depression would be listed in this field. Risk factors for disease progression are not considered multiple chronic conditions. Values are expressed using the natural language expressions found in the text of the guideline and separated by commas.
Guideline Category	Classifies the major focus of the guideline. Values are selected from the appropriate concepts in the Classification Scheme.
Clinical Specialty	Classifies the clinical specialties that might use the guideline professionally. Values are selected from the appropriate concepts in the Classification Scheme.
Intended Users	Classifies the groups intended to use the guideline. Values are selected from the appropriate concepts in the Classification Scheme.
Guideline Objective(s)	Describes the objectives of the guideline as specified in the original guideline document.
Target Population	Describes the target population(s) addressed in the guideline. Identifies restrictions on guideline use such as within a managed care plan or geographic region.
Interventions and Practices Considered	Identifies the specific clinical interventions and practices considered in the guideline. Values are expressed using natural language expressions found in the text of the guideline.
Major Outcomes Considered	Describes the most important specific outcomes or performance measures considered in the guideline. Includes patient outcomes described in treatment guidelines and diagnostic test performance characteristics described in diagnosis or screening guidelines.
Methodology
Methods Used to Collect/Select the Evidence	Classifies the methods used to collect and select the evidence that were evaluated. Values are selected from the appropriate concepts in the Classification Scheme.
Description of Methods Used to Collect/Select the Evidence	Describes/summarizes the specific methods used to collect and select the evidence, as identified in the text of the guideline or by the guideline developer. Can include detailed search strategies, lists of journals scanned, keywords, database sources, inclusion and exclusion criteria, etc.
Number of Source Documents	Identifies the number of source documents that were identified by the methods described above under "Description of Methods used to Collect/Select the Evidence." The number of source documents is NOT the number of references presented in the original guideline document.
Methods Used to Assess the Quality and Strength of the Evidence	Classifies the methods used by the guideline developer to determine what relative importance to give the evidence they obtained. Values are selected from the appropriate concepts in the Classification Scheme.
Rating Scheme for the Strength of the Evidence	Presents the rating scheme for strength of evidence, when given.
Methods Used to Analyze the Evidence	Classifies the methods used by the guideline developer to evaluate the data in the evidence they obtained. Values are selected from the appropriate concepts in the Classification Scheme.
Description of Methods Used to Analyze the Evidence	Describes the methods used to analyze the evidence. Presents additional definition for the values presented under "Methods to Analyze the Evidence" (for example, defines "systematic" or summarizes the details of the meta-analyses).
Methods Used to Formulate the Recommendations	Identifies the methods used to translate evidence into statements that will assist practitioners and patients in making decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances. Values are selected from the appropriate concepts in the Classification Scheme.
Description of the Methods used to Formulate the Recommendations	Captures the details of the methods used to translate evidence into recommendation statements. Issues considered by the guideline developers during recommendation formulation such as cost, patient preference, and values, are also captured.
Rating Scheme for the Strength of the Recommendations	Captures the weighted scheme used by the guideline developer to determine what relative strength or importance to give to the recommendations being made. The relative strength or importance may be derived from the quality and strength of the evidence upon which recommendations are based, from a strictly clinical perspective, or both.
Cost Analysis	Describes any formal cost analysis performed and any published cost analyses reviewed.
Method of Guideline Validation	Lists the method(s) used to validate the recommendations of the guideline. Validation is defined as "the results of any external review, comparison with guidelines from other groups or clinical testing of guideline use" (Hayward RSA, et al. More informative abstracts of articles describing clinical practice guidelines, Ann Intern Med 1993;118:731-737). Values are selected from the appropriate concepts in the Classification Scheme.
Description of Method of Guideline Validation	Captures the details of the method(s) used by the guideline developer to validate the guideline.
Recommendations
Major Recommendations	Identifies the major recommendations of the guideline.
Clinical Algorithm(s)	Identifies the recommendations expressed in the form of clinical algorithm(s) and where the algorithm(s) are provided.
Evidence Supporting the Recommendations
References Supporting the Recommendations	Lists the references of evidence supporting the recommendations when applicable. This field opens in a new window and PubMed links are provided when available.
Type of Evidence Supporting the Recommendations	Describes the type of evidence supporting the recommendations.
Benefits/Harms of Implementing the Recommendations
Potential Benefits	Describes the anticipated benefits associated with implementing the guideline's recommendations. When applicable, the field also includes information on the major subgroup(s) of patients within the target population most likely to benefit from the guideline recommendations.
Potential Harms	Description of the anticipated harms, potential risks or adverse consequences associated with the guideline's recommendations, as stated in the guideline text, to target populations or intended users. When applicable, the field also includes information on the major subgroup(s) of patients within the target population most likely to suffer harm/adverse consequences associated with the guideline recommendations.
Contraindications
Contraindications	Identifies the instances (e.g., co-morbidities) that might render the use of medications or procedures improper, undesirable, or inadvisable.
Qualifying Statements
Qualifying Statements	Presents qualifying statements or important caveats pertaining to the major recommendations of the guideline. Identifies areas of uncertainty and presents a brief description of how the guideline developer addressed this uncertainty in developing the recommendations. Only caveats pertaining to the major recommendations are included. This attribute may also present information regarding uncertainty or controversies in the field identified by the guideline developer that prevents formulation of specific recommendations. Disclaimer-type statements are also captured in this field.
Implementation of the Guideline
Description of Implementation Strategy	Describes specific strategies, aims, performance measures, or plans for implementing the guideline recommendations.
Implementation Tools	Identifies the types of implementation tools provided by the guideline developer to facilitate the implementation of the guideline. Values are selected from the appropriate concepts in the Classification Scheme
Related NQMC Measures	Identifies link(s) to related quality measures in the National Quality Measures Clearinghouse™ (NQMC).
Institute of Medicine (IOM) National Healthcare Quality Report Categories
IOM Care Need	Classifies the guideline into one of four Institute of Medicine (IOM) care need classifications: End of life care; Getting better; Living with illness; Staying healthy.
IOM Domain	Classifies the guideline into one or more of the four Institute of Medicine (IOM) care domains: Effectiveness; Patient-centeredness; Safety; Timeliness.
Identifying Information and Availability
Bibliographic Source(s)	Identifies the complete bibliographic source(s) for the published guideline as disseminated by the guideline developer(s). Links are provided to PubMed where applicable.
Adaptation	Identifies that the guideline has been adapted from another guideline and identifies the source document.
Date Released	Identifies the date the guideline was released to the public.
Guideline Developer(s)	Identifies the organization(s) responsible for the development of the guideline. Each organization is classified by the major designation or function (derived from the Organization Type attribute), such as "Medical Specialty Society" or "Professional Association."
Guideline Developer Comment	If the guideline developer is a consortium or represents a group of organizations, this field identifies the individual organizations by name.
Source(s) of Funding	Identifies source(s) of financial support for guideline development, as identified in the guideline text or by the guideline developer. Lists any grant numbers associated with funding, as identified in the guideline text or by the guideline developer.
Guideline Committee	Identifies formal name, if any, of committee/subcommittee within the guideline developer organization(s) responsible for developing the guideline.
Composition of Group That Authored the Guideline	Describes the composition of the group/committee that authored the guideline, including professional degrees and affiliations, and lists the names of individual committee members, where given.
Financial Disclosures/Conflicts of Interest	Captures relationships between individuals of the guideline development committee/group and for-profit and not-for-profit companies or organizations that could potentially influence that individual's contribution to the guideline's development.
Endorser(s)	Identifies organization(s) that have endorsed the guideline. Each organization is classified by the major designation or function (derived from the Organization Type attribute), such as "Medical Specialty Society" or "Professional Association."
Guideline Status	Identifies the current status of the summary including whether the guideline is an updated version of a previously issued document, whether an update is in progress, and whether the guideline meets the 2013 (revised) inclusion criteria.
Guideline Availability	Identifies information about the availability of the guideline. Provides links to the full-text document and ordering information for print copies.
Availability of Companion Documents	Identifies the companion documents produced by the guideline developer that are considered relevant to the guideline.
Patient Resources	Identifies patient resources that are directly related (i.e., derived and/or prepared from the guideline by the guideline developer) to the guideline. The patient information is not reviewed by NGC to establish whether or not it accurately reflects the original guideline's content.
NGC Status	Identifies when the guideline was completed or revised by ECRI Institute, and verified by the developing organization(s).
Copyright Statement	Provides the copyright statement of the organization that submitted the guideline.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer	Provides disclaimer information about the relationship between NGC (including its sponsor, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and its contractor, ECRI Institute) and the guidelines and guideline developers represented on the Web site.

Indexing Attribute

Guideline Summaries are also indexed for the following attributes to support searches and browses of the database (Browse by Clinical Specialty, Browse by Organization, and Browse by MeSH Tag).

Age of the Target Population	Describes the age group(s) represented by the target population, enabling users to restrict their searches to a particular age group(s).
Sex of the Target Population	Classifies the sex(es) represented by the target population, enabling users to restrict their searches to a particular gender.
Disease/Condition(s)	NGC uses Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) , along with other controlled vocabularies, such as the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), incorporated into NLM's Unified Medical Language System (UMLS)  to classify disease concepts related to NGC guidelines.
Treatment/Intervention	NGC uses Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) , along with other controlled vocabularies, such as the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) Common Procedure Coding System and ECRI Institute's Universal Medical Device Nomenclature System (UMDNS), incorporated into NLM's Unified Medical Language System (UMLS)  to classify treatment/intervention concepts related to NGC guidelines.

Page Last Reviewed or Updated: July 15, 2016