What, How, and Why

Abstract

Practice guidelines are not new, but they continue to evolve-from ad-hoc practice standards, informed expert opinions, and consensus-based guidelines to best-practice and evidence-based guidelines that improve individual and community outcomes. From the extensive national guidelines of the US Preventive Services Task Force to state and local initiatives, this issue of the NCMJ explores the development and implementation of clinical guidelines that are now (along with cost and patient experience) the third of the Triple Aim objectives, the new "north star" of our profession.