How long does it take to prepare an AAOS guideline?
AAOS Guidelines take twelve to twenty-four months to prepare. This includes the peer review process, period of public commentary and the final approval process. All AAOS guidelines are peer reviewed for a minimum of thirty days by the Guidelines and Technology Oversight Committee (GTOC), the Evidence-Based Practice Committee (EBPC), and peer reviewers who participate on behalf of outside specialty societies. Outside specialty societies who have a strong interest in the content of the guideline are nominated by the guideline work group a priori to any work being done to develop the guideline. A solicitation letter is sent to each society president from the Chair of the AAOS Guideline and Technology Oversight Committee soliciting the societies’ participation in the peer review process. If the society chooses to participate in this process, they provide a member of their choosing to peer review the confidential draft of the guideline. A maximum of three members from any single society may
