Suggested improvements in practice guidelines: Market research to support clinical quality improvement

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine's Practice Guideline Dissemination Project included market research to better understa nd the wants and needs of physicians, case managers, and insurance adjuster s who used the guidelines. We used structured and open-ended survey questio ns and focus groups administered to a cohort of physicians, adjusters, and case managers trained as part of the project. Respondents were generally sa tisfied with the format and contents of the guidelines. They requested addi tional material on case management and facilitation of effective treatment and return, to work by other health professionals. They also suggested a va riety of formats to improve the accessibility of the guidelines. The sugges tions may be used in new product development or for guideline revisions.