gms | German Medical Science

Background: As a country with limited resources, Ukraine develops clinical practice guidelines through adaptation.

Methods: Adaptation of clinical guidelines in Ukraine starts with original guidelines search in Guidelines International Network Library and other resources relevant to medical problem and clinical questions. The next step is an evaluation of selected original clinical guidelines using AGREE methodology. Then guideline development group members are asked to choose among selected and evaluated guidelines the best available evidence and recommendations that correspond to their specialization and prepare comments that show peculiarities of Ukrainian health care system organization and its legal system. The final step is summary of all selected recommendations, guideline development group members’ comments and draft finalization.

Results: During 2011 5 clinical guidelines were adapted in Ukraine, 3 of them (Breast Cancer, Ischemic heart disease: stable exertional angina, Acute uncomplicated cystitis in women) were developed through guidelines synthesis. At the beginning of 2012 all adapted guidelines were placed at Guidelines International Network Library.

Discussion: In Ukrainian context, clinical guidelines adaptation through synthesis means selection and summarization of the best available evidence and recommendations taken from different clinical guidelines written on close medical problems, but answer various clinical questions, and addition of guideline development group members’ comments that show Ukrainian peculiarities. It makes possible to develop on the basis of different various guidelines one clinical guideline concerning different medical issues.

Implications for guideline developers/users: Experience of clinical guidelines synthesis, applied in Ukraine, could be used in countries with limited resources that use adaptation for guidelines development.