A direction or principle representing current or future rules of policy and clinical practice. Generally a comprehensive guide to problems and approaches in any field of activity. Guidelines are more specific and more detailed than guiding principles, on which they are based.
Systematically developed statements which assist clinicians and patients to decide on appropriate treatments for speci?c conditions. The guidelines are attractive to health managers and patients because they are potentially able to reduce variation in clinical practice. This helps to ensure that patients receive the right treatment of an acceptable standard. In England and Wales, the NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL EXCELLENCE (NICE) is developing national guidelines with advice from health-care professionals and patients to improve clinical e?ectiveness of NHS care. Some doctors have reservations about guidelines because (1) health-care managers might use them primarily to contain costs; (2) in?exibility would discourage clinical innovations; (3) they could encourage litigation by patients. (See also HEALTH CARE COMMISSION; MEDICAL LITIGATION.)... clinical guidelines
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