‘An opportunity for SIGs to better help their patients and advance their field’
The first ACLP guidance—for managing depression in solid organ transplant patients—has been published.
The Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison (JACLP) will also publish the guidance, which has been compiled by the Transplant Psychiatry SIG, with SIG chair Paula Zimbrean, MD, FACLP, the driving force.
She says: “I believe the field of C-L Psychiatry has matured enough to need and be able to provide guidance regarding evaluation and management of selected clinical problems.
“As a former chair of the ACLP Guidelines and Evidence-Based Medicine Subcommittee (GEBMS), I became aware of the challenges in writing GRADE [Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations] guidance based on the existing C-L literature, therefore I worked with Scott Simpson, the current GEBMS chair, to expand the guidance process towards a consensus/practice recommendation activity.
“A collaboration between the SIG and GEBMS evolved naturally. Our Transplant Psychiatry guidance document took three years to complete and involved a systematic review of the literature, formulation of clinical questions and statements, an expert consensus survey, and a review by the GEBMS. Our effort had three major aims: to improve clinical care, to support C-L psychiatrists asking for resources at their hospitals, and to straighten the methodology for such guidance documents within ACLP.”
The guidance was approved by the ACLP Board.
It is the first in a series being created with the GEBMS who hailed it as “an opportunity for SIGs to better help their patients and advance their field” in an earlier ACLP News announcement.
Over the last several years, the subcommittee has been working to develop clinical guidance. Latterly, it established a formal process for approval by ACLP.
Now, the subcommittee invites all SIGs to work with them to develop clinical guidance for endorsement and publication.
Subcommittee members work with SIG champions to help move guidance through the process. Participant SIGs lead work on surveys, convening workgroups, and writing; the subcommittee shares methodology, helps with problem-solving, and generally helps to move the process along.
Interested SIGs are invited to share contact information and guidance proposals here.