Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Network’s mission?
The Network seeks to improve the quality of health care by promoting systematic development of clinical practice guidelines and their application into practice, through supporting international collaboration.
The Network aims to:
- Promote the systematic development, dissemination, implementation and evaluation of clinical practice guidelines
- Improve and harmonize guideline methodologies
- Promote international collaboration in guideline activities and to improve coordination with other health care quality initiatives
- Support research relating to clinical practice guidelines and to facilitate the implementation of research findings into practice
- Organise and promote trans-national project groups, training courses, events and conferences
- Maintain an International Guideline Library, enabling the systematic search, comparison and dissemination of clinical practice guidelines from all G-I-N members.
Who are members of the Network?
Membership in the Guidelines International Network is open to non-profit-distributing organisations or individuals involved in developing, disseminating, implementing, or evaluating clinical practice guidelines, or are otherwise active in the field. (G-I-N´s Memorandum & Articles of Association)
What are the benefits of G-I-N membership?
The Network facilitates collaborative work between guideline organisations and experts. The benefits of membership include easy, fast access to a wealth of guideline information:
- International Guideline Library the largest guideline database worldwide - with more than 6.700 documents in January 2010
- Collection of training tools from members
- Inventory of Guideline Manuals
- International glossary of terms and definitions used in the field of guideline development
- Sharing of resource-intensive systematic reviews and evidence tables; bringing opportunities for reduced costs and improved quality of clinical practice guidelines
- Working with international experts on guideline development, methodologies and research
- Participation in communities of interest for people with shared interest in the implementation of guidelines
- Participation in mentoring and professional development opportunities
- Reduced registration fee for the Annual G-I-N Conference
- Information about the news and action by the G-I-Newsletter (8 times/year)
Being part of an inspiring professional community!
How do I become a member of G-I-N?
It's easy to become a member of the Network:
Fill in the online Membership Application form, submit online your information and send the printed application form either by fax or by mail to the G-I-N office. Applications for membership will be considered by the Board in regular intervals.
I understand that G-I-N offers a searchable database for use by its members. Which information does this GUIDELINE LIBRARY contain?
The G-I-N Guideline Library (located in the GUIDELINE RESOURCES section) provides G-I-N members with the ability to search and review the programmes for guidelines, systematic review, evidence reports and guideline clearing reports of all member organisations. The Guideline Library Disease / Condition Browse is based on the U.S. National Library of Medicine's (NLM) Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) classification.
Other selections from the GUIDELINE RESOURCES area include:
- Development and Training Resources informs about state-of-the-art techniques and instruments for developing evidence-based guidelines. This area is open to all visitors accessing the G-I-N website.
- The Health Topics Collection (HTC) features guidelines and other related publications on specific health topics. This area is open to all visitors accessing the G-I-N website.
I am interested in accessing the G-I-N guideline resources. Are all resources available for the public?
The G-I-N Guideline Resources contain:
- The Guideline Library which provides G-I-N members with the ability to search and review the guideline programmes of all member organisations.
- Development and Training Resources which inform about state-of-the-art techniques and instruments for developing evidence-based guidelines. This area is open to all visitors accessing the G-I-N website.
- The Health Topics Collection which features guidelines and other related publications on specific health topics. This area is open to all visitors accessing the G-I-N website.
Patient and Consumer Resources can be found in the Related Links area of the site. This area is open to all visitors accessing the G-I-N website.
Which kind of information can I get from your website? Does G-I-N inform about its members only?
The G-I-N website is intended to link to all possible web-based information on clinical practice guidelines.
We are always pleased to be informed about and to integrate more evidence-based resources.
Please make use of our Contact Form to inform us about any resources you may find to be lacking.
We appreciate knowing about as many "official guidelines and statements issued by professional authorities" as possible from all countries in all languages.
Where can I find some explanations for "guideline jargon"?
There are some fine glossaries available which might be helpful:
- Evidence-Based Medicine Glossary of the Oxford Center for Evidence-based Medicine
- Glossary of the National Guideline Clearinghouse
- NZGG Glossary
- SIGN Glossary
I am An individual member, can I add a guideline to the library?
Adding guidelines in the library is a benefit specific to the organisational members of G-I-N. Therefore, if you wish for a guideline to be included you should check with the organisation lead for the development of the guideline and see if they are G-I-N member or could consider becoming a G-I-N member.
May we establish a link from our website to www.g-i-n.net?
Other healthcare provider websites are welcome to establish links to our website. Please use the following text to describe the G-I-N on your site:
"The Guidelines International Network (G-I-N) seeks to improve the quality of health care by promoting systematic development of clinical practice guidelines and their application into practice, through supporting international collaboration. G-I-N has the world's largest international guideline library containing regularly-updated information and guidelines of the G-I-N membership. It is an international not-for-profit association of organisations and individuals involved in the development and use of clinical practice guidelines. It is a Scottish Guarantee Company, established under Company Number SC243691 and is also a Scottish Charity, recognised under Scottish Charity Number SC034047."
G-I-N Logo
Please note that the G-I-N logo is the property of The Guidelines International Network (Scottish Charity Number SC034047). Any use of this logo or name without written permission is expressly prohibited. This includes (but is not restricted to) placing the G-I-N logo on websites or in publications, notifications or announcements.
Therefore, if you wish to establish a link to our website, use our logo or name, we ask you to first contact us to obtain permission.
Contact: office@g-i-n.net
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