Guiding Principles, Attributes, and Process to Review Medical Management Guidelines

Few issues are more central to the ongoing debate about health care in the United States than concerns about cost and quality of medical care. The recent development and implementation of medical management guidelines that include recommendations for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, hospital length of stay, intensity of service, home care, and access to specialists have often focused this debate on the potential trade-off between cost reductions and quality of care. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that cost and quality are integrally related and that it is possible to reduce costs while maintaining and improving quality. The purpose of this statement is to help pediatricians and other health care providers interpret, evaluate, and improve medical management guidelines.