It is anticipated that each guideline development panel will comprise at least seven members. Each panel is constituted to develop one guideline. Development panel members ideally serve on only one active panel at a time although they may serve on more than one over the course of time. Each development panel will be led by a chair and vice chair. Chairs will be selected by the Advisory Steering Committee. As always, nominees who will enhance the diversity of the development panels are encouraged to apply.
The guideline development panels will consist of at least:
- Three topic area content experts
- One full-time generalist practitioner
- One patient/consumer advocate
- One biostatistician or methodologist
- One member of the Advisory Steering Committee (ex officio)
Among the content experts, a breadth of perspectives will be represented and include both experts who are primarily researchers and those who are primarily practitioners. Task force members should have knowledge of treatment issues related to age and other dimensions of diversity (such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, culture, gender, sexuality, physical, and mental abilities). It is anticipated that task force members will collectively have experience working with a broad range of populations and in a broad range of settings. Membership in APA is not a requirement to serve on the panel.
Note: If the Advisory Steering Committee believes that one or more of these areas requires more expertise, they have the authority to select additional members for the development panels.
In addition to the qualifications above, background or expertise in one or more of the following areas may be useful to the panel:
- Clinical practice guideline development
- Comparative effectiveness research
- Systematic reviews
- Design and conduct of clinical trials
- Contemporary methods for evaluation of psychological, behavioral, or pharmacological interventions
- Dissemination/implementation research
- Relevant expertise in research design and statistical analysis
- Experience applying clinical practice guidelines in practice settings
- Experience using or providing training in evidence-based practices
- Direct provision of psychological or medical care in diverse practice settings or with diverse populations
- Patient/ consumer perspective
- Federal agency policies and programs related to guidelines
- Health care systems finance or administration
- Public health research and applications
- Public and community health delivery systems
Note: Clinical practice guidelines are focused on specific disorders and interventions, while professional practice guidelines are mainly concerned with how practice is conducted with particular populations or in particular settings.