Understanding Clinical Practice Guidelines: A Video Series Primer

We developed a series of videos to provide an overview of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) in Canada through the eyes of those who design, disseminate, and use them.

CPGs are evidence-based recommendations that help health care professionals make better clinical decisions. When designed and used properly, CPGs can play an important role in the Canadian health care system.

In November 2011, we collaborated with the Canadian Medical Association on a national summit to focus attention on CPGs at the policy level and develop a shared understanding of national priorities. Governments have also been working together to bring greater attention to CPGs across Canada. The provincial and territorial premiers identified CPGs as a priority area of focus in health care and reported in July 2012 on the role of CPGs in reducing variations in clinical care.

These videos are meant to offer greater insight into what CPGs are, how they are used, how they are disseminated and implemented, and what impact they can have.

Video 1: What are CPGs

This video provides an introduction to CPGs: what they are, who can benefit from their use, and why patients and health care providers should take an interest in them.

Video 2: Challenges for CPGs
This video discusses the complexities that affect widespread usage of CPGs. National experts share their thoughts on the challenges that designers and users of CPGs face.

Video 3: Integration of CPGs at the system level
This video profiles Canadian organizations that have garnered recognition for their system-level approaches to CPGs. The groups highlighted include: 

1. The Canadian Taskforce on Preventive Health Care 
2. Canadian Stroke Strategy 
3. Cancer Care Ontario 
4. Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario Best Practice Guidelines 

Video 4: Opportunities and future considerstaions for CPGs
This video looks at where efforts are needed to realize the benefits of CPGs on improving patient outcomes and health care system performance in Canada. We discuss the future and next steps for CPGs with national experts.