CHEST guidelines meet the highest standards in guideline development, as outlined by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Guideline panels are carefully selected, are screened for conflicts of interest, and include clinical experts who provide their expertise to the interpretation of the evidence and development of the recommendations.
CHEST relies on the input of members, volunteers, leaders, and staff to define and pursue opportunities to create high-quality, relevant guidelines. An open call for guideline proposals is held each year; 2025 submissions have closed, but the next cycle will open in spring 2026.
Guideline topic submission process
Preliminary topic proposals are submitted first, and the CHEST Guidelines Oversight Committee then identifies select proposals to submit a full guideline proposal. Topics that reflect the constituency of CHEST; cross over to various disciplines of chest medicine; have high global, public health, and/or economic impact; have wide variability within practice; and address new or recently evolved treatment or diagnostic strategies are prioritized.
The full proposal asks submitters to identify the goals and objectives of the guideline, provide a list of proposed questions (in population, intervention, comparator, and outcome [PICO] format), and list a proposed guideline panel that represents the diverse backgrounds and experiences of key stakeholders in the clinical topic. In addition to the overall priority of the topic, submissions meeting the following criteria will be prioritized for selection:
- Clear goals and objectives that are aligned with the mission and vision of CHEST guidelines
- Appropriate project scope that can be completed within the target time frames (18 to 24 months for a clinical practice guideline)
- Guideline questions that outline the clear population, intervention, comparator, and outcomes in the recommended guideline format
- Lack of existing or ongoing guidelines in the topic area (CHEST or non-CHEST), or prior guidelines requiring need for updating due to new evidence
- Proposed panel that represents CHEST’s commitment to diversity and inclusion