The final guideline product is usually eight to 10 typeset pages in length and requires about 20 minutes for reading. Each guideline recommendation is accompanied by a clear description of supporting evidence. The bibliographies provide a valuable resource for local guideline implementation, continuing medical education and scholarly inquiry. Each guideline requires one to two years for completion. Meeting, transportation and methodological support represent the three principal expenses.
Physician participation is uncompensated.
These last two factors play an important role in minimizing the cost of guideline development. The ASA Executive Office has made the text of each guideline available on the Internet via the ASA Web site. Practice parameters are developed by a multitude of groups, e.g., national specialty societies, state societies, hospital medical staffs, local physician networks, health maintenance organizations, national hospital chains and third-party payers. The rationale for developing such guidelines range from improving the quality of medicine to putting money to the bottom line. The AMA through the Practice Parameters Partnership and Forum has developed a list of attributes that evaluate each guideline.