Functions and Processes

Functions of the Health and Science Policy Committee

The HSP Committee makes recommendations to the ACCP Board of Regents (BOR) on issues related to health, science, and clinical policy in cardiopulmonary medicine and surgery, critical care, and related disciplines. The committee is responsible for overseeing the development and review of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines designed to improve patient care and influence physician behavior. Practice guidelines are one of the many important features of the ACCP’s endeavor to provide patient-focused care.

The HSP Committee comprises 14 members (13 voting; 1 ex-officio) with a variety of clinical and evidence-based medicine expertise. Within the Committee are three subcommittees dedicated to assisting HSP in policies and procedures of the committee, guidelines in development and review of published guidelines, and facilitation of implementing current guidelines.

ACCP members and other clinicians look to the HSP Committee to assist them in obtaining information and recommendations on various clinical conditions that are most relevant to day-to-day practice. These recommendations focus on the care of the patient and, at the same time, provide decision-making strategies for clinicians.

The ACCP follows an explicit approach to evidence-based clinical practice guideline development.¹ This approach is characterized by the systematic analysis of evidence from published research, assessment of outcomes, and inclusion of patient preferences. The explicit approach means that the entire process is transparent and documented in the guideline, including how data analyses were conducted, how recommendations were derived from the evidence, and how benefits and harms were balanced.² In some guidelines, selected recommendations incorporate consideration of resource issues.³ Panel selection, conflicts of interest, and other factors, which may influence clinical practice guideline development, are also documented.

1. Baumann MH, Gutterman D, Lewis SZ. ACCP evidence based guideline development: a successful and transparent approach addressing conflict of interest, funding, and patient-centered recommendations. Chest 2007; 132:1015-1024


2. Guyatt G, Gutterman D, Baumann MH, et al. Grading strength of recommendations and quality of evidence in clinical guidelines: report from an American College of Chest Physicians task force. Chest 2006; 129:174-181


3. Guyatt G, Baumann M, Pauker S, et al. Addressing resource allocation issues in recommendations from clinical practice guideline panels: suggestions from an American College of Chest Physicians task force. Chest 2006; 129:182-187