ACC releases updated methodology for appropriate use criteria

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) recently released changes to the process for developing appropriate use criteria (AUC), including changes to frequently misinterpreted terminology for describing the levels of appropriateness of care.

"The new terminology and definitions more accurately reflect how AUC should be used for quality improvement and clinically, including consideration for physician judgment, measurement of patterns of use over time and the potential hazard of applying inflexible rules to individual patient situations," said AUC Writing Committee Chair and lead author Robert C. Hendel, MD, FACC. "The new terminology will be applied in development of all subsequent appropriate use criteria. The first document using the new terms is slated for release later this month, focusing on implantable cardiac defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy."

More details are available here.