ICO International Clinical Guidelines:

Chinese Define Preferred Practice Patterns and Guidelines

On this page:

• COS project to incorporate clinical guidelines into practice
  
  
• 2004 workshop led to translation of Guidelines into Chinese
  
  
• Subspecialists review drafts at Beijing workshop
  
  
• Plans for dissemination and evaluation
  
  
• Model for implementation of guidelines in other countries
  
• Other society guidelines requested
  

(Also see: More News of Guidelines)

COS project to incorporate clinical guidelines into practice

The Chinese Ophthalmological Society (COS) is defining Preferred Practice Patterns and Process of Care Practice Guidelines covering the major subspecialty areas of ophthalmology for incorporation into the practice in China.

COS President, Professor Jialiang Zhao, MD, is directing the project to teach practicing ophthalmologists in China how to incorporate the Guidelines into their practices.

2004 workshop led to translation of ICO Guidelines into Chinese

The initiative was launched at a two-day symposium in Wuhan, China in September 2004, at the time of the Ninth Congress of the COS.

With the support of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO), World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. National Eye Institute (NEI), 10 of the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Preferred Practice Patterns (PPPs) and ICO International Clinical Guidelines were later translated into Chinese.

Subspecialists review drafts at Beijing workshop

At a two-day workshop in Beijing in June 2005, ophthalmologists from the major universities and teaching centers throughout China representing the key subspecialty areas reviewed the draft Guidelines line by line and made changes where appropriate to reflect Chinese culture, resources, etc.

The workshop was organized by the COS and supported by the ICO, WHO, NEI and American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Plans for dissemination and evaluation

The next steps are to create awareness and encourage adoption by the practicing ophthalmologists throughout China.

The COS made its Guidelines available to members in a bound text at its third International Ophthalmology Congress in September in Beijing.

The COS Guidelines will be implemented first in hospitals and eye departments in the large cities in China.

With the help of ICO Guidelines Director Richard Abbott, MD, and representatives of the World Health Organization and U.S. National Eye Institute, the COS has defined a formal evaluation protocol to assess the impact of the guidelines on training at selected medical centers and on ophthalmic practice and eye care in China.

Model for implementation of guidelines in other countries

"The adaptation and implementation of clinical guidelines in China is an excellent model for other countries and regions," said Richard Abbott, MD, ICO Guidelines Director and Council Member.

Ophthalmologic societies interested in adapting or developing clinical guidelines may want to review Dr. Abbott's report on the Beijing workshops and the COS development process. The report can also be downloaded as PDF file (20 KB).

Other society guidelines requested 

The ICO Clinical Guidelines Committee welcomes the submission of national, supranational and subspecialty society clinical guidelines for review and possible addition to or linking from the ICO Web site.

Send your clinical guidelines to Dr. Abbott at guidelines@icoph.org.

Next: Report on Beijing workshops and the process for development of guidelines in China

Also see: List of ICO Guidelines