American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Guideline Endorsement
Policy
The American Academy of
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) acknowledges that many
organizations are producing quality guidelines that would benefit the
membership of AAPM&R. AAPM&R is committed to systematically
evaluating these documents and disseminating appropriate documents to its
membership. This scheme seeks to provide tiered levels of AAPM&R endorsement
of these products. The primary criteria AAPM&R uses to assess guidelines
submitted for endorsement is the quality of the process used to develop the
document. This includes an assessment of the use of evidence vs. consensus
and the appropriate linkage of evidence to recommendations.
Documents that fulfill the criteria listed below are
eligible for AAPM&R endorsement. Documents that do not fulfill all of the
criteria may be eligible for the second tier of endorsement—Affirmation of
Value. Eligibility for endorsement does not guarantee endorsement, and
endorsement does not guarantee publication in PM&R - The journal of injury,
function and rehabilitation.
AAPM&R’s standards
for endorsement of a clinical practice guideline are:
- Recommendations based on peer
reviewed evidence
- Comprehensive, systematic review
of the literature
- Classification of evidence based
on quality of study design
- Recommendations linked directly
to the evidence
- Recommendations weighted based
on the strength of supporting evidence
Many practice guidelines
use a combination of peer reviewed evidence and expert consensus to make
practice recommendations. The AAPM&R process stresses the evidence component
in the development of guidelines. In AAPM&R guidelines, recommendations
cannot be based on consensus alone; the presentation of consensus evidence is
restricted to the body of the document. Documents that are based in expert
consensus are not eligible for AAPM&R endorsement as a practice guideline. AAPM&R will consider consensus-based documents for the second tier of AAPM&R
endorsement—Affirmation of Value.
AAPM&R encourages
other organizations to inform AAPM&R of their intent to request
endorsement as early in the process of developing the guideline as possible. Although AAPM&R endorsement does not require AAPM&R input into the guideline,
the likelihood of endorsement is greatly increased by AAPM&R’s involvement
in, and knowledge of, the development of the guideline.
Upon receipt of a
request for endorsement, AAPM&R will undertake a screening review of the
guideline for interest and priority. The Practice Guidelines committee will
review the guideline. If approved for Official Endorsement or Affirmation of
Value, the Practice Guidelines committee will send its recommendation to the
AAPM&R Board of Directors for final endorsement or affirmation. At the
committee’s discretion, requests for review may not be granted review.
Documents submitted for AAPM&R endorsement should be sent to the Practice
Guidelines Committee, American Academy of Physical
Medicine and Rehabilitation, 9700 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Suite 200, Rosemont, IL, 60018.
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The below
matrix outlines actions that AAPM&R may take to endorse and disseminate
guidelines.
|
Acceptability |
Fully meets AAPM&R
standards; AAPM&R can endorse all of the recommendations.
|
|
Level of Endorsement |
Situation |
Presentation/Dissemination |
|
Official AAPM&R
endorsement. |
AAPM&R full partner in
development of the document
|
May bear AAPM&R logo; may be
published in the
PM&R - The journal of injury,
function and rehabilitation
as official AAPM&R policy. If article is published in the
PM&R - The journal of injury,
function and rehabilitation
and in journals of
collaborating organizations, publication should occur simultaneously.
|
|
AAPM&R provided an
official representative to the development of the document |
May bear AAPM&R
logo; AAPM&R may disseminate the document to its members with the
permission of the primary organization.
AAPM&R may request permission to publish
all, a portion of or a summary of the document on the AAPM&R website after
publication of the article by the primary organization. |
|
AAPM&R not officially
involved in the development of the document |
May bear AAPM&R
logo; AAPM&R may disseminate the document with the permission of the
primary organization.
AAPM&R may request permission to publish
all, a portion or a summary of the document on the AAPM&R website after
publication of the article by the primary organization. |
|
Acceptability |
Either does not fully
meet AAPM&R standards, or AAPM&R cannot endorse all of the
recommendations. However, AAPM&R leadership feels it is of benefit to the
membership. |
|
Level of Endorsement |
Situation |
Presentation/Dissemination |
|
Affirmation of Value
to Physiatrists
|
AAPM&R full partner in
development of the document |
AAPM&R may
distribute the guideline to its membership via the AAPM&R website as an
“educational tool”.
The document may list the AAPM&R as an
official contributor but not state that the AAPM&R endorses the document.
AAPM&R logo may not be used. |
|
AAPM&R provided an
official representative to the development of the document |
AAPM&R may
distribute the guideline to its membership via the AAPM&R website as an
“educational tool”.
The document may state
that the AAPM&R provided a representative to the development of the
guideline, but may not state that the AAPM&R endorses the document. AAPM&R
logo may not be used. |
|
AAPM&R not officially
involved in the development of the document |
AAPM&R may
distribute the guideline to its membership via the AAPM&R website as an
“educational tool”.
The document may not
state that AAPM&R endorses the document. AAPM&R logo may not be used.
|
|
Acceptability |
Does not meet AAPM&R
standards; not felt to be of benefit to the membership of the AAPM&R. |
|
Level of Endorsement |
Situation |
Presentation/Dissemination |
|
No endorsement |
AAPM&R full partner in
development of the document; AAPM&R provided an official representative to
the development of the document; AAPM&R not officially involved in the
development of the document
|
AAPM&R imprimatur may
not be used. AAPM&R will not disseminate the document to its membership.
The document may not state that the AAPM&R endorses the document. |
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