Guidelines deals with the question "WHAT TO DO?"
Protocols (pathways) deals with the question "HOW TO DO?"
Policy deals with the issue of IMPLEMENTATION.
hope this helps
ben
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Benjamin Djulbegovic, MD,PhD
Associate Professor of Oncology and Medicine
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
at the University of South Florida
Interdisciplinary Oncology Program
12902 Magnolia Drive
Tampa, FL 33612
Editor: Evidence-based Oncology
http://www.harcourt-international.com/journals/ebon/
e-mail:[log in to unmask]
http://www.hsc.usf.edu/~bdjulbeg/
phone:(813)979-7202
fax:(813)979-3071
-----Original Message-----
From: Christina Maslen [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2001 7:09 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Is it a guideline a protocol or a policy?
Can anyone tell me how to distinguish between a guideline, a protocol and a
policy? These terms are often used interchangeably (even within the same
article) and I have clinicians here who want to know what kind of beast
they are developing! Apart from a general understanding that a protocol is
more prescriptive about procedures/processes and guidelines are meant to be
more general and flexible and cover clinical conditions...... but where
does a policy fit in?
Hope you can help
Christina Maslen
Clinical Effectiveness Facilitator
RNHRD NHS Trust
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