Objectives To construct patient trust evaluation index system based on the background of hierarchical medical system, and to provide reference for the evaluation of the degree of patient trust on medical institutions and offer guidence to the implementation and further improvement of the hierarchical medical policy in China. Methods Based on literature review, the modified Delphi method was used to carry out 2 rounds of expert consultations from 11 experts in different fields to determine the indicators of patient trust evaluation index system. Results Questionnaire recovery rates of 2 rounds were 100.00% and 90.91%, the expert authority coefficient was greater than 0.75, the coefficient of variation of each index was less than 0.25, and the coordination coefficient of experts in the total index were 0.236 and 0.424 (P<0.001). Patient trust evaluation index system was preliminary constructed including medical environment, service trust, technical skills, pharmaceutical and equipment, the overall trust 5 first-level indexes and 20 level two indexes. Conclusions The patient trust evaluation index system can be used to evaluate patients' trust in different levels of medical institutions under the hierarchical medical system.
Objective To set up healthcare device-technology deployment assessment model and procedures through establishing the assessment parameter system between the functions of the clinical technical requirements and devices. Methods The bidirectional assessment parameter system developed by the literature review and Delphi, then combination weighting calculated by the combination weighting method, and the proposals for function deployment performed on the cluster analysis. Results The positive coefficients of twice Delphi were 75.56% and 87.50%, respectively. The effective recovery rates of the questionnaire were higher. The structure of the bidirectional assessment parameter system acquired according to the data mining and review, Delphi and integrated analysis. We calculated the weighting for the required functions and the deployed functions of the ventilator in the ICU, ER and RR. We listed the absolute importance and rank. The proposals for the function deployment of the ventilator which met different needs in fields of the critical care medicine were produced by the cluster analysis, ranking absolute importance and the calibration of weighting based on the investigation for actual function utilized rate. Conclusion It studies healthcare device-technology deployment assessment model by sequential integrated methods and sets up bidirectional assessment parameter system based on clinical technical function requirement, and the result is effective.
Objective To develop a preliminary "pulmonary nodule symptom scale" based on the Delphi method, providing a tailored, standardized, normalized, and promotable symptomatic evaluation tool for the efficacy assessment of pulmonary nodule patients treated with traditional Chinese medicine or integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine interventions. Methods A preliminary pool of scale items was formed through literature review, interviews with doctors and patients, and reference to guidelines and consensus on pulmonary nodules and patient-reported outcome (PRO) scales related to lung cancer. Two rounds of expert consultation were conducted using the Delphi method. Based on the concentration and variation indicators of expert evaluations, and considering experts’ suggestions for specific item deletions and modifications, a core group meeting was held to screen and refine the scale items. Results Invitations were sent to 54 experts, with 51 accepting the consultation. The active coefficient for the first round of consultation was 94.4%, and for the second round, it was 100%. The average authority coefficient for the 51 experts was 0.896. The Kendall’s coefficient of concordance and the average coefficient of variation for the first and second rounds of consultation were 0.215 (P<0.001) and (0.34±0.07), 0.162 (P<0.001) and (0.24±0.05), respectively. Through two rounds of Delphi expert consultation, a preliminary "pulmonary nodule symptom scale" covering 17 items across four dimensions - respiratory symptoms, systemic manifestations, psychological state, and overall assessment - was formed. Conclusion The experts participating in this Delphi consultation had high authority and enthusiasm, and they have a good level of acceptance and consistency for the preliminary "pulmonary nodule symptom scale". Subsequent empirical research will be conducted on a large sample cohort of pulmonary nodule patients to verify the scale’s stability and effectiveness.
As the incidence of lung cancer continues to rise, segmentectomy has emerged as a favored surgical technique for treating selective early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients, gaining increasing support from thoracic surgery specialists. However, there remains a deficiency in clinical guidance concerning indications and other related aspects for segmentectomy. In April 2023, a collaborative effort among 15 Asia thoracic surgery experts led to the publication of the "Asian expert consensus on segmentectomy in non-small cell lung cancer: A modified Delphi study". This study presents a total of 36 expert consensus agreements across three aspects: patient indications, surgical approaches, lymph node assessment, outlining key principles of them. This paper intends to provide a brief interpretation of these consensuses for the reference of colleagues in clinical practice.
Local treatment improves the outcomes for oligometastatic disease, an intermediate state between locoregional and widespread disease. However, consensus about the definition, diagnosis and treatment of oligometastatic oesophagogastric cancer is lacking. The first edition "Definition, diagnosis and treatment of oligometastatic oesophagogastric cancer: A Delphi consensus study in Europe" was published on February 15, 2023 by 65 European medical specialists. In this article, the consensus will be interpreted to provide new idea for the diagnosis and treatment of oligometastatic oesophagogastric cancer for Chinese clinicians.
ObjectiveWe constructed a real-world evidence evaluation system to provide reference for obtaining high-quality evidence in evidence-based medicine.MethodsThrough the investigation and analysis of the key factors influencing the real-world research evidence, combined with domestic and foreign literature and evaluation tools, we preliminarily constructed the indicators of the real-world evidence evaluation system, then consulted experts in related fields by the Delphi method, modified and determined the final evaluation indicators. ResultsThe indicators of the final real-world evidence evaluation system included 40 items. The recovery efficiencies of the two rounds of expert consultation were 88.2% and 100%; The expert coordination coefficients were 0.174 (P<0.001) and 0.189 (P<0.001). After the second round of consultation, the mean of Likert scale in the range of 3.73~4.93, and the coefficient of variation varied in the range of 0.05~0.21. ConclusionThe real-world evidence evaluation system constructed in this study has certain reliability and scientificity, which can provide a basis and help for the transformation of real-world research into high-quality evidence.
ObjectiveBy establishing a set of evaluation system for thoracoscopic clinical function and applicability, to evaluate and compare the advantages and disadvantages of different brands of thoracoscopes, and to provide some suggestions for the innovation and upgrade of thoracoscopes, especially for the domestic thoracoscopes.MethodsThe project coordination team initially formulated the evaluation index system for the clinical function and applicability of thoracoscope by querying literature and brainstorming. The Delphi expert consultation method was used to distribute questionnaires to the selected experts. Experts provided scores which were based on the importance of each indicator, and clarified the basis of their judgment and the familiarity with the evaluation indicators. After two rounds of screening by Delphi method, a thoracoscopic clinical function and applicability satisfactory questionnaire was formed. The appropriate sample for pre-investigation was selected, and the reliability and validity were tested. The index composition was adjusted based on the results of the test to form a final evaluation scale.ResultsThe project coordination team initially formulated 24 thoracoscope-related evaluation indicators. After two rounds of experts consultation, the item "brightness adjustment" was deleted without any additional entries. The positive coefficients of the experts in the first round and the second round were 100.0% and 80.0%, respectively. The two rounds of authoritative coefficients were 0.86 and 0.90, and the coordination coefficients were 0.272 (P<0.001) and 0.523 (P<0.001), respectively. A total of 140 questionnaires were issued in this pre-investigation. The recovery rate was 100.0% and the effective rate was 90.0%. The Cronbach's α value of the scale was 0.936, and the Spearman-Brown split-half reliability coefficient was 0.972. The factor analysis finally extracted 3 common factors. The total variance of the cumulative interpretation was 70.9%. The three common factors were named "operation related", "image related" and "device related".ConclusionThe evaluation index system developed in this study has good reliability and validity, and can be used as a tool to evaluate the clinical function and applicability of thoracoscopes.
ObjectiveTo construct the terminology standard of hospital quality and safety. MethodsThe draft terminology standard was constructed through group discussions, and the final draft terminology standard was formed after one round of Delphi expert consultation and two rounds of expert consensus meetings. ResultsThe recovery rate of the questionnaire was 100%, and the authority coefficient of experts was 0.87. A total of 15 experts were invited to two rounds of expert consensus meetings. The terminology standard for hospital quality and safety (TCHAS 10-1-1-4—2022) was finally released, including 4 first-level categories, 20 second-level categories, and 370 terms in total. ConclusionThe terminology standard of hospital quality and safety developed in this study is scientific and reliable, which can be used as a tool to assist medical institutions in carrying out standardized management.
Objective The basic terms of the technical specifications for case-control studies in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are formed by expert consensus methods, in order to develop detailed texts of the technical specifications. Methods According to the process of international guidelines, a total of 44 experts participated in the Delphi survey. Results The three rounds of questionnaire response rates were 73.3%, 86.4%, and 86.8%, respectively. The experts' authority coefficients were 0.82, 0.85, and 0.86, respectively; and the expert opinion coordination coefficients were 0.356, 0.349, and 0.422, respectively. Expert enthusiasm, authority, opinion centralization, and degree of coordination were relatively high. There were many opinions raised in the expert consensuses on how to measure TCM syndrome, TCM constitution, the time point of measurement and the selection of new cases. Conclusion The case-control studies in TCM field should pay more attention to the characteristics of TCM. The draft of technical specification involves the study design and reporting, which can improve the methodological and reporting quality of case-control studies.
Objective To construct the expert consensus on comprehensive rehabilitation assessment system for the elderly in the hospital and community. MethodsMedline, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and VIP databases were searched for geriatric rehabilitation assessment materials from June 2016 to June 2021. The primary items were summarized through literature review and research group discussion, and then Delphi method was used among 20 experts in geriatric rehabilitation medicine to develop consensus-based core items for the elderly comprehensive rehabilitation assessment system. Results A total of 158 references were included. Through integration, sorting and screening, the research team initially formulated 41 items and four major sections including cardiopulmonary exercise, sensory perception, cognition and psychology (speech contained), and swallowing, urination and defecation. The effective recovery rates of the two rounds of experts consultation were both 100%, the mean expert authority coefficient was 0.92±0.05, the variation coefficients were 0.174±0.043 and 0.172±0.063, respectively; the Kendall coefficients of concordance were 0.587 and 0.601, with P values<0.05 for both, respectively. Finally, The comprehensive rehabilitation assessment system for the elderly including 16 items would be formed. Conclusion The expert consensus on comprehensive rehabilitation assessment system for the elderly constructed by Delphi method includes motor, sensory perception, cognition, swallowing, speech, cardiopulmonary, defecation, mental and psychological elements, which are identified with high recognition and consistency from experts.