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Understanding How the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Works

USPSTF 101


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Slide 1

Understanding How the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Works: USPSTF 101

Slide 2

Goals

Slide 3

Overview

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force...

Slide 4

Overview (continued)

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force...

Slide 5

USPSTF Members

Slide 6

AHRQ's Support of the Task Force

Slide 7

Topic Nominations

Slide 8

Text Description is below the image.

Steps the USPSTF Takes to Solicit Public Input and Make a Recommendation

Stages of Development chart. There are eight stages as follows:

  1. Develop Research Plan: Task Force members work with researchers from an Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) to create a draft Research Plan that guides the recommendation process.
  2. Public Comment Opportunity: The draft Research Plan is posted on the USPSTF Web site for public comment. The Task Force and EPC review all comments, address them as appropriate, and create a final Research Plan.
  3. Develop Evidence Report: Using the final Research Plan, the research team at the EPC independently gathers and reviews the available published evidence and creates a draft Evidence Report. The draft Evidence Report is critiqued by external national subject matter experts.
  4. Public Comment Opportunity: The draft Evidence Report is posted on the USPSTF Web site for public comment. (Future Step in 2013). The EPC reviews all comments, addresses them as appropriate, and creates a final Evidence Report.
  5. Develop Recommendation: Task Force members discuss the Evidence Report and deliberate on the effectiveness of the service. Based on the discussion, Task Force members create a draft Recommendation.
  6. Public Comment Opportunity: The draft Recommendation is posted on the USPSTF Web site for public comment. The Evidence Report is finalized and published.
  7. Finalize Recommendation: The Task Force reviews all comments, addresses them as appropriate, and creates a final Recommendation. Members vote to ratify the final Recommendation.
  8. Publish & Disseminate Final Recommendation: The final Recommendation and supporting Evidence Report are posted on the Task Force Web site. Final Recommendations are also made available through electronic tools, peer-reviewed journals, and consumer guides.

Slide 9

Recommendation Grades

Letter grades are assigned to each recommendation statement. These grades are based on the strength of the evidence on the harms & benefits of a specific preventive service. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/grades.htm.

Grade Definition
A The USPSTF recommends the service. There is high certainty that the net benefit is substantial.
B The USPSTF recommends the service. There is high certainty that the net benefit is moderate, or there is moderate certainty that the net benefit is moderate to substantial.
C Note: The following statement is undergoing revision.

Clinicians may provide this service to selected patients depending on individual circumstances. However, for most individuals without signs or symptoms there is likely to be only a small benefit from this service.

D The USPSTF recommends against the service. There is moderate or high certainty that the service has no net benefit or that the harms outweigh the benefits.
I Statement The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits & harms of the service.

Slide 10

Text Description is below the image.

Opportunities for Public Input Engagement

This chart details the opportunities when the public may provide input in the USPSTF recommendation process, both currently and in the future. The first opportunity for public input is nominating a topic for USPSTF consideration. After the Task Force selects a topic and develops a draft research plan, the public may provide comments on the draft research plan (as of November 2011). The final research plan is then approved by the Task Force and used to develop the evidence report. The public will be able to provide comments on draft evidence reports in the future. After the Task Force has reviewed the evidence report and debated the preliminary recommendation, the draft recommendation statement is then made available for public comment. The Task Force then considers all comments and finalizes the recommendation for ratification. Once ratified, the final recommendation is published in a peer-reviewed journal and/or on the USPSTF Web site.

Slide 11

For More Information

http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org

Current as of March 2012


Internet Citation:

Understanding How the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Works: USPSTF 101 (Text Version). U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. October 2011. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf101_slides/uspstf101.htm


 


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