<Identity>

<GuidelineTitle>

Complete title of the guideline

<Citation>

Bibliographic citation

<GuidelineLength>

Number of pages in printed document

<ReleaseDate>

Date on which the guideline was released to the public

<Electronic>

Information regarding sources of guideline in electronic format

<Availability>

Information regarding sources of a guideline and associated documentation

<Print>

Information regarding sources of guideline in print format

<Contact>

Person or organization to contact for additional information

<Status>

Statement of whether the guideline is original or a revised or updated version of a previously issued document

<CompanionDocument>

Refers to other documents (including Technical Reports, Consumer Guidelines, Quick Reference Guidelines) produced by the guideline developer relevant to the guideline

<QuickReferenceGuide>

A concise document that summarizes guideline recommendations for clinicians.

<TechnicalReport>

A document or document component that describes in detail the method of guideline development.

<PatientResource>

A  patient-oriented summary of guideline content or a resource intended to assist patients with guideline application.

<Adaptation>

Indicates that the guideline has been adapted from another guideline

<StructuredAbstract>

A summary statement that describes a guideline using structured headings.

<Developer>

<DeveloperName>

Organization(s) responsible for developing the guideline

<CommitteeName>

Formal name of committee within developer organization responsible for developing guideline

<CommitteeExpertise>

Expertise present within the group that authored guideline

<CommitteeMember>

Name of member of guideline development committee

<MemberExpertise>

Professional expertise of individual guideline committee member

<Funding>

Source of financial support for guideline development

<RoleOfSponsor>

The sponsor?s part in developing, modifying, and reporting the guideline.

<ConflictOfInterest>

Potential situations in which financial or other considerations may compromise, or have the appearance of compromising, a developer?s professional judgment

<Endorser>

Organization that has endorsed the guideline

<ComparableGuideline>

Another guideline on the same or similar topic

<Purpose>

<MainFocus>

Primary disease/condition, treatment/intervention, health practice, service, or technology addressed in the guideline main focus

<Rationale>

Reasons for developing recommendations including why the guideline was developed/needed, e.g., evidence of practice variation or inappropriate practice

<Objective>

General goals that implementation of the guideline is intended to bring about

<AvailableOption>

Principal alternative preventive, diagnostic, or therapeutic strategies considered

<HealthOutcome>

The most important specific outcomes (health, economic, etc.) considered in the guideline.

<Exception>

Situations in which socially relevant factors permit an exception to be made in applying the guidelines; including home and family situation, constraints on health care delivery system

<IntendedAudience>

<Users>

Intended users of guideline information

<CareSetting>

The settings in which the guideline is intended for use

<MethodOfDevelopment>

<DescriptionEvidenceCollection>

A description of methods used to collect, identify, and retrieve scientific evidence on each question on which recommendations are based, including details on computer searches (including dates) and use of personal files and bibliographies

<NumberSourceDocuments>

Number of source documents identified

<EvidenceTimePeriod>

Publication date of earliest and most recent evidence considered

<EvidenceSelectionCriteria>

Methods used to choose the evidence that informs guideline development, including inclusion and exclusion criteria for specific studies

<RatingScheme>

Criteria for rating quality of evidence and/or strength of recommendation

  <EvidenceQualityRatingScheme>

Criteria for rating quality of evidence

  <RecommendationStrengthRatingScheme>

Criteria for rating strength of recommendation

<DescriptionEvidenceCombination>

Method of synthesis used to combine the scientific evidence quantitatively or otherwise

<CostAnalysis>

Describes any formal cost analysis performed

<SpecificationHarmBenefit>

Qualitative description of anticipated benefits and potential risks associated with implementation of guideline

<QuantificationHarmBenefit>

Quantification of benefits or risks associated with implementation of guideline

<RoleValueJudgment>

Implicit or explicit process for judging relative desirability of health, economic, and process outcomes associated with alternative practices

<RolePatientPreference>

Role of patient preferences for possible outcomes of care when the appropriateness of a clinical intervention involves a substantial element of personal choice or values

<QualifyingStatement>

Important caveat relating to a major recommendation. Identifies an area of uncertainty

<TargetPopulation>

<Eligibility>

Describes population that the recommendations are intended to affect; identifies restrictions on guideline use such as within a managed care organization or geographic region

<InclusionCriterion>

A criterion whose presence is necessary for the guideline recommendations to be applicable

<ExclusionCriterion>

A criterion whose presence excludes the applicability of the recommendations

<KnowledgeComponents>

<Recommendation>

Statement of appropriate practice and the conditions under which it is to be undertaken. The statement is intended to influence practitioners' behavior and/or patient outcomes. A number or brief title for a specific recommendation should be stored in this element

<Conditional>

A recommendation applicable under circumstances specified by an if-then statement. The complete text of the conditional statement should be stored in this element

<DecisionVariable>

A condition that must be tested to indicate the appropriateness of a conditional recommendation. Store only a single variable in each decision variable element

<Value>

A specified state of a decision variable

<DecisionVariableDescription>

Text that provides and amplifies information about a decision variable

<TestParameter>

Information about the quality of a decision variable

<Sensitivity>

An indication of the probability of the decision variable being present under specific clinical circumstances

<Specificity>

An indication of the probability of the decision variable being absent under specific clinical circumstances

<PredictiveValue>

An indication of the probability of an outcome occurring when a particular value of the decision variable is present

<DecisionVariableCost>

The cost of testing a decision variable

  <Action>

Appropriate activity to be carried out given the specific circumstances defined by values of decision variables

  <ActionValue>

A specified state of an action

  <ActionType>

A categorization of activity directed by a conditional

<ActionBenefit>

An improvement in status of some measured outcome that may occur as a result of following a recommendation

<ActionRiskHarm>

Risk or adverse outcome associated with a specified action

<ActionDescription>

Text that provides and amplifies information about an action

<ActionCost>

Cost of performing a specific action

  <Reason>

An explanation or justification for a recommendation

  <EvidenceQuality>

An indication of methodologic rigor of the studies that support the specified recommendation

  <RecommendationStrength>

An indication of the guideline developers' level of support for a given recommendation based on their confidence in the balance of anticipated benefits and costs, harms, and risks

  <Flexibility>

Indication of options in performing imperative

  <Logic>

Boolean operators that indicate how the decision variables and actions in a given conditional are to be combined

  <Cost>

Overall cost of performing this recommendation

<Goal>

The state that a recommendation is intended to achieve, maintain, or avoid

<Linkage>

Indicator of a relationship between this recommendation and other knowledge component(s)

<Reference>

Specific literature citation relevant to this conditional a recommendation

<Certainty>

Indication of the likelihood that this recommendation will lead to specified outcomes

<Imperative>

Recommendation directed at the entire target population without limitation. The complete text of the imperative statement should be stored in this element

  <Scope>

Implicit eligibility criteria for an imperative statement

  <Directive>

An appropriate activity for the eligible population. Store only a single activity in each Directive element

  <DirectiveBenefit>

An improvement in status that may occur as a result of following a directive

<DirectiveRiskHarm>

Risk or adverse outcome associated with implementation of a directive

<DirectiveDescription>

Text that provides and amplifies information about a directive

<DirectiveCost>

Cost of performing a specific directive

<Reason>

An explanation or justification for a recommendation

<EvidenceQuality>

An indication of methodologic rigor of the studies that support a recommendation

<RecommendationStrength>

An indication of the guideline developers' level of support for a given recommendation

<Flexibility>

Indication of options in performing imperative

<Logic>

Boolean operators that indicate how directives are to be combined

<DirectiveValue>

The specified state of a directive

<Directive Type>

A categorization of activity directed by an imperative

<Cost>

Overall cost of performing an imperative recommendation

<Goal>

The state that a recommendation is intended to achieve, maintain, or avoid

<Linkage>

Indicator of a relationship between this recommendation and other knowledge component(s)

<Reference>

Specific citation relevant to this imperative recommendation

<Certainty>

Indication of the likelihood that this recommendation will lead to specified outcomes

<Term>

A word or phrase defined in the guideline

<TermMeaning>

Precise meaning of words and phrases that may be unfamiliar to guideline readers; terms are defined as used in this guideline context

<BackgroundInformation>

Information relevant to the guideline?s topic but not related to other Knowledge Components

<ResearchAgenda>

Proposal for further scientific investigation to correct identified deficiencies in the evidence base for this guideline topic

<Algorithm>

A  flowchart representation of  the stages and activities in health management described by the guideline

<ActionStep>

Specifies clinical actions that are to be performed in the patient-care process (GLIF)

<ConditionalStep>

Directs flow from one guideline step to another based on the evaluation of a criterion (GLIF)

<BranchStep>

Directs flow in alternate directions (GLIF)

<SynchronizationStep>

Synchronization Step represents a convergence of other steps (GLIF)

<Testing>

<ExternalReview>

Methods of eliciting peer review comments and vetting of guideline draft

<FormalAppraisal>

Evaluation of the guideline draft to appraise its validity and usability (e.g., COGS), quality (e.g., AGREE) and implementability (e.g., GLIA)

<PilotTesting>

Preliminary validation testing

<RevisionPlan>

A statement indicating whether or not there is a plan to update the guideline

<Expiration>

Time (or date) that recommendations cease to be valid

<ScheduledReview>

Future time (or date) planned to review continued appropriateness of recommendations

<ImplementationPlan>

<ImplementationStrategy>

Specific plans for implementing the recommendations

<AnticipatedBarrier>

A factor that might be expected to impede operationalization of the guideline

<AnticipatedEnabler>

A factor that might be expected to promote operationalization of the guideline

<PerformanceMeasure>

Guideline-derived tool to measure the quality of care they provide by defining specific, measurable elements