SAGES consensus recommendations on an annotation framework for surgical video.

Prioritization and multilevel mapping of implementation strategies for a cancer rehabilitation navigation program.

Achondroplasia (ACH), the most common skeletal dysplasia, arises from gain-of-function variants in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 gene. Children with ACH experience lifelong medical, functional and psychosocial challenges requiring coordinated and anticipatory care. Although international guidance exists, the UK lacks national clinical care recommendations specific to its healthcare systems. To develop UK-specific, multidisciplinary clinical recommendations for the care of children and young people (CYP) with ACH. The UK Achondroplasia Network developed guidance in stages: stakeholder mapping of the care pathway, integration of contemporary literature with clinical expertise to draft age-specific guidance and Delphi statements, and a modified Delphi process with 25 multidisciplinary experts. The Delphi process involved two voting rounds and an in-person meeting, with consensus defined as ≥80% agreement. In the first Delphi round, all 20 statements achieved consensus; nine achieved 100% agreement. To strengthen consensus, after meeting in person, 17 statements were refined (four were divided into two statements), one created and one removed, resulting in 24 statements for Round 2; all achieved consensus, with 21 reaching 100% agreement. The guidance outlines age-specific monitoring and referral from infancy to adolescence. Recommendations address medical management of complications, psychosocial support, educational planning and transfer to adult care. These are the first UK-specific multidisciplinary recommendations for the care of CYP with ACH. Aligned with international best practices and tailored to UK healthcare systems, they support anticipatory care, promote independence and enhance health and psychosocial outcomes. The guidelines offer a foundation for service planning, standardisation and equitable care.

BackgroundDespite their prevalence, ward round practices are not well described, leading to challenges in achieving proficiency. We aimed to identify consensus-based content items for conducting ward rounds with older patients with frailty to provide clearer guidelines and enhanced understanding of best practices for medical professionals.MethodsA nationwide Danish five-round Delphi study was conducted during 2023. Geriatric medicine (30) and medical communication (5) experts were invited to participate. The participants’ comments and an iterative thematic approach were used to identify and refine content items and themes, after which participants assessed items for consensus. Consensus was defined as 75% of participants voting 7–9 on a 1–9 Likert scale. Items without consensus returned to the next Delphi round with elimination if no consensus was reached after the second assessment.ResultsDelphi study response rates were 26(74%), 21(81%), 18(86%), 13(72%), and 11(85%) in Delphi rounds 1–5, respectively. Experts reached consensus on 108 content items on conducting ward rounds with older patients with frailty. Items were organised into four themes: (1) preparing ward rounds, (2) conducting ward rounds, (3) competencies, (4) circumstances related to the patient group. Ward round preparation and the conduction of ward round detailed the process of managing older inpatients with frailty, including conducting a holistic review of patient history and functional status, as well as improving the environment, such as by reducing noise. Competencies and patient circumstances related to the patient group included knowledge, skills, and attitudes to improve ward round quality, including flexibility in terms of reading patient cues and adjusting content to changes in cognition and alertness and knowledge on how to communicate with patients living with cognitive impairment.ConclusionsGeriatric medicine and medical communication experts reached consensus on 108 content items for conducting ward rounds with older patients with frailty. The items were grouped into four themes: preparing for ward rounds, conducting ward rounds, required competencies, and patient-related circumstances. The authors believe that this study serves as a valuable resource for medical training and future research.

ObjectivesUltrasound competency is critical in modern healthcare, yet no standardized framework currently supports ultrasound skill monitoring across diverse clinical settings and user types. Existing frameworks often lack generalizability, overemphasize exam counts, and fail to assess key skills such as interpretation, limiting ultrasound's safe and effective integration into clinical practice. The objective of this study is to develop a consensus‐based, universal framework for monitoring ultrasound competency across clinical applications and disciplines.MethodsA modified Delphi process was conducted with an international panel of Point‐of‐Care ultrasound experts. Panelists independently evaluated framework elements categorized by competency domains (experience, skills, autonomy), skill domains (indication, acquisition, interpretation, clinical integration), metrics (eg, exam counts, entrustability, interpretation accuracy, etc.), answer sets (score‐based inputs used by assessors), and score criteria (requirements for each score). Consensus thresholds were defined as strong consensus at >84%, and weak consensus at 68–84%. Two Delphi rounds were completed.ResultsNineteen experts participated across 2 Delphi rounds. Strong consensus was reached to include 3 competency domains (experience, skills, autonomy) and 4 skill domains (indication, acquisition, interpretation, and clinical integration). Optional components, including the use of acquisition skill trees and varied answer set granularity, were favored by some participants to allow ultrasound programs to tailor the framework to specific examinations, assessment scenarios, and job roles.ConclusionThe resulting modular framework provides a flexible, consensus‐based approach to ultrasound competency assessment, enabling cross‐program comparisons and evaluation of training methods. Validation across diverse settings is needed to support its use in global competency standards and ultrasound education expansion.

Background: Development of patient decision aids (PtDA) requires decision making about the facts, risks, and benefits to present to patients. Delphi process methodology has been employed successfully as a consensus-building tool across several disciplines. This work represents the first phase of a Canadian study that is developing a PtDA for prophylactic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) candidates. Our aim was to engage healthcare providers, ICD stakeholders, and patients in decisions about the content and format of the PtDA, using a modified Delphi process. Method: Twenty healthcare professionals, 1 stakeholder representative, and 16 people living with ICDs were invited to participate. Our Delphi approach utilized electronic and paper based response systems that included 1) anonymity, 2) iteration, 3) controlled feedback and, 4) statistical group response options. The first Delphi round comprised 39 evidence-based survey items including ICD facts, risks, benefits, and values. A review panel of decision aid experts, cardiovascular researchers, and electrophysiologists selected the content items. Participants completed the survey by rating each category item on a 5-point likert scale from “1= not important” to “5 = extremely important”. A predetermined cut-off of > 75%, wherein participants rated an item as “very important” or higher, guided the selection of items during the two Delphi rounds completed. To provide participants with statistical group responses, the second round participants received the anonymous first round item rankings prior to rating the 11 remaining items. Results: Twenty-seven participants completed round one of the Delphi (14 ICD patients). Mean (SD) age of ICD patients was 66.8 (7.1) years. The number of years of experience in healthcare reported by non-ICD respondents ranged from 2 to30 years. Of the 39 items included in round one, 14 items were retained ( > 75% agreement), 14 items were removed (<60% agreement), and 11 items proceeded to the second round (60-74% agreement). During the second Delphi round (n=27), 6 of the 11 items that did not reach agreement in round one were retained ( > 75% agreement). Examples from item categories include: 1) Risk items - i ) Lead problems over the long term, ii ) Possible complications during the surgical procedure to insert the ICD. 2) Benefit items- i ) Prevent cardiac arrest from a dangerous heart rhythm, ii ) Assurance that a dangerous heart rhythm can be corrected. 3) Fact, Value & Preferences - i ) What a standard ICD cannot do, ii ) The wish for a natural death, iii ) Driving restrictions if the ICD delivers a shock. Conclusion: The results from this Delphi survey informed the content that will be incorporated into a PtDA for new ICD candidates. The next phase will include field-testing of the PtDA. Ultimately, the goal is to support quality decision making in ICD candidates.

Background:Progress in artificial intelligence-based analysis of surgical videos has been constrained by reliance on manual frame-level annotations rather than patient-level outcomes. In addition, concerns about data privacy restrict the exchange of laparoscopic video data and, thereby, multicenter collaboration.Methods:To address these limitations, we developed a pipeline that integrates weakly supervised deep learning with Swarm Learning, a decentralized machine learning approach that enables collaborative model training without data centralization. We evaluate our pipeline using a newly curated dataset of 397 laparoscopic appendectomy recordings from six international surgical centers. We identified optimal modelling configurations (frame sampling rates and model architectures) and subsequently compared Swarm Learning to single-center and centralized learning across three novel patient-level disease staging tasks: (i) binary detection of perforated appendicitis, (ii) laparoscopic grading of appendicitis, and (iii) histopathologic inflammation grading. In addition, we surveyed participating centers to identify real-world barriers to the clinical implementation of our decentralized learning pipeline for surgical video analysis.Results:For appendicitis grading tasks, frame sampling at 1.0 frames per second and use of the SurgTempoNet architecture resulted in reliable classification performance, outperforming SurgFrameNet and Multiple Instance Learning. Across all three disease staging tasks, Swarm Learning consistently outperformed single-center training and achieved performance comparable to centralized learning, with stable generalization in external validation. The user survey identified hardware failure and limited integration of the decentralized learning pipeline with electronic patient records as key barriers to the clinical implementation of our decentralized learning pipeline for collaborative surgical video analysis.Conclusions:Weakly supervised deep learning enables the prediction of patient-level endpoints directly from surgical video data. Swarm Learning facilitates privacy-preserving multicenter collaboration and achieves performance on par with centralized learning, highlighting its potential for advancing clinically relevant, collaborative AI development in surgical video analysis, especially when integrated with patients’ electronic health records.

Core outcome measurement set for research and clinical practice in post-COVID-19 condition (long COVID) in children and young people: an international Delphi consensus study “PC-COS Children”

Objectives: Although there is increasing demand for physicians from various specialties to be trained in ultrasonography (US), it is currently not being taught at most Canadian undergraduate medical schools in a comprehensive manner. The purpose of this study was to develop objectives to form the foundation of a comprehensive undergraduate US curriculum. Methods: After completing an environmental assessment, which included a review of our current undergraduate objectives, a literature review was performed to identify published undergraduate US objectives. Using this information, a preliminary list of objectives was developed. The list was distributed electronically to 12 content experts from 10 disciplines and, using a two-round modified Delphi process, consensus about the inclusion of educational objectives was obtained. An a priori consensus criterion of 75% agreement was used to determine objectives that would be included in the curriculum. Objectives that met consensus in the first round of the survey were excluded from second round evaluation. Results: Review of our undergraduate curriculum revealed that there were already 10 objectives relating to US. Combining existing objectives with those found during the literature review, an initial list of 79 objectives was produced. Sixteen of these were approved during the first Delphi round, while the remaining 63 objectives required rating during a second round. A final list of 25 objectives was produced. Conclusions: Using a modified Delphi process, physicians from diverse backgrounds reflecting current and future use of US developed 25 multi-disciplinary objectives for a comprehensive undergraduate medical school US curriculum. RÉSUMÉObjectifs: Bien qu’on demande de plus en plus que les médecins de diverses disciplines suivent une formation en échographie, cette méthode d’exploration n’est pas encore enseignée de façon exhaustive dans la plupart des programmes d’études de premier cycle des facultés de médecine canadiennes. Le but de cette étude est d’élaborer des objectifs qui serviront de fondation à la création d’un programme d’enseignement de l’échographie au premier cycle. Méthodes: Après avoir terminé une analyse de contexte qui incluait une revue de nos objectifs d’apprentissage actuels, une revue de la littérature a été effectuée afin de faire ressortir les objectifs publiés pour l’enseignement de l’échographie au premier cycle de médecine. Avec cette information, une liste préliminaire d’objectifs a ensuite été élaborée. La liste a été envoyée électroniquement à 12 experts de contenu dans 10 disciplines différentes. Utilisant un processus de Delphi modifié en deux étapes, un consensus a été établi pour l’inclusion des objectifs d’apprentissage. Un consensus à priori de 75 % approuvant les objectifs a été utilisé pour choisir ceux qui seraient inclus dans le cursus. Les objectifs qui avaient satisfait au consensus lors de la première étape ont été exclus des évaluations lors de la deuxième étape. Résultats: La revue de notre programme d’études de premier cycle a démontré qu’il y avait déjà dix objectifs portant sur l’échographie. En combinant les objectifs actuels et ceux qui ont été relevés lors de la revue de la littérature, une liste initiale de 79 objectifs a été produite. Seize de ces objectifs ont été approuvés lors du premier tour Delphi. Les 63 autres objectifs ont dû être évalués dans le cadre du deuxième tour. Une liste finale de 25 objectifs a été produite. Conclusion: À l’aide d’un processus de Delphi modifié, des médecins provenant de diverses disciplines reflétant l’utilisation courante et éventuelle de l’échographie ont élaboré 25 objectifs multidisciplinaires pour offrir un programme complet de formation en échographie dans le cursus du programme de premier cycle de médecine.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and steatohepatitis (MASH) are associated with adverse clinical outcomes, impaired health-related quality of life, and significant economic burden. The growing burden of MASLD and MASH has led to the publication of a large number of MASLD/MASH guidelines by national and international societies. However, important differences among the recommendations have created confusion, contributing to a low implementation rate and suboptimal management of MASLD and MASH. Creating a consensus recommendation has become more important since the approval of a selective agonist of thyroid hormone β receptor (resmetirom) for MASH treatment in the United States. We built a consensus among the most recently published recommendations for MASLD/MASH. A comprehensive search for MASLD and MASH guidelines, guidance documents, or similar publications from January 2018 to January 2025 using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and society websites was conducted. Each selected document was assessed across 8 specific domains with 145 variables. Variables with <50% concordance were used for the Delphi statement development. A supermajority threshold of 67% was set for statement acceptance. There were 61 documents published from 2018 through January 2025. Four rounds of Delphi were conducted: 46 statements were generated for Round 1, 32 statements for Round 2, 16 statements for Round 3, and 8 statements for Round 4, whereby 100% of statements achieved a greater than 90% agreement. All final consensus recommendations were summarized in tables and algorithms. Our study provides an extensive set of recommendations generated based on a comprehensive review of the most recent MASLD/MASH guidelines and a consensus-building process.

Background: Experiential Learning (EL) is a requirement of the General Pharmaceutical Council’s Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists. Essential to the growth of high-quality EL is the development of the facilitators who supervise the student pharmacists in practice. This research aimed to identify the capabilities required by facilitators to support a student pharmacist effectively during EL. Methods: A two-phase mixed methods process was undertaken to reach an agreement on the capability descriptors required by EL facilitators. A literature review followed by a modified Delphi process was used to determine consensus on the identified draft capability descriptors. All feedback gained from the Delphi was analysed and used to shape the development of the descriptors. Results: A panel of 48 stakeholders was recruited to take part in the Delphi process. Response rates for the two Delphi rounds were high (Round 1 – 46 (95.8%), Round 2 – 41 (85.4%)) Following the Delphi, the initial list of descriptors was reduced to 92 descriptors across eight overall domains. Conclusion: Through this research, a high level of consensus was reached for the range of descriptors within the framework which can ensure relevant, efficient education and training for EL facilitators to develop quality EL in pharmacy environments.

Consensus Recommendations for the Conduct, Training, Implementation, and Research of Perioperative Handoffs.

Background:Laparoscopic D2 lymph node dissection (LND) for gastric cancer has a wide range and high difficulty. In the past, the quality of surgery was often judged by the time of the operation or the amount of blood loss, but the analysis based on surgical video was rarely reported. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the quality of laparoscopic D2 LND for gastric cancer and postoperative complications.Methods:The surgical video and clinicopathological data of 610 patients in two randomized controlled trials in our center from 2013 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Klass-02-QC LND scale and general error score tool were used to quantitatively evaluate the intraoperative performance of D2 LND. Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of postoperative complications.Results:The overall incidence of complications (CD classification≥2) was 20.6%; the incidence of surgical complications was 6.9%. According to whether the LND score reached 44, patients were divided into a qualified group (73%) and a not-qualified group (27%). Event score (ES) by quartile was divided into grade 1 (21.7%), grade 2 (26%), grade 3 (28%), and grade 4 (24.3%) from low to high. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that ES greater than or equal to 3, tumor size greater than or equal to 35 mm, and cTNM >II were independent risk factors for not-qualified LND. Male,tumor size greater than or equal to 35 mm and cTNM >II were independent risk factors for grade 4 ES. Not-qualified LND (OR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.16–3.89, P=0.021), grade 4 ES (OR=3.21, 95% CI: 1.52–3.90, P=0.035), and cTNM >II (OR=1.74, 95% CI: 1.39–7.33, P=0.041) were independent risk factors for postoperative surgical complications.Conclusions:The qualification of LND and intraoperative events based on surgical video are the independent influencing factors of postoperative complications of laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery. Specialist training and teaching based on surgical video may help to improve the surgical skills of specialists and improve the postoperative outcome of patients.

First Pan-Canadian Consensus Recommendations for Proton Beam Therapy Access in Canada

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer is an aggressive subtype associated with a poor prognosis when not optimally treated. Over the past year, major advances-including results from DESTINY-Breast05, DESTINY-Breast09, DESTINY-Breast11, PATINA, and long-term APHINITY follow-up-have changed the treatment landscape regarding the place in therapy of antibody-drug conjugates and the optimal sequencing of systemic therapies. These developments prompted the need for updated evidence-informed consensus recommendations to support consistent, high-quality care across Canada. Research Excellence, Active Leadership Canadian Breast Cancer Alliance (REAL Alliance), comprising clinical-academic oncologists from across Canada and Breast Cancer Canada, updated its 2024 HER2+ recommendations through a modified Delphi process with up to three rounds of anonymous voting. Consensus was defined a priori as ≥75% agreement. This 2025 update incorporates new data in early-stage, metastatic, and central nervous system-involved disease, including revisions to neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment pathways and expanded guidance on the clinical use of antibody-drug conjugates.

Background Medication side effects are common causes of ill health, with ‘SADMAN’ medications identified as frequent offenders- sulphonylureas, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), diuretics, metformin, angiotensin-receptor blockers, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and sodium/glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors. Recent consensus recommendation published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases is that patients on these should omit them if unwell1. We examined SADMAN usage within our Day Hospital, knowledge of this guidance and patients’ confidence in managing their medications. Methods All patients presenting for review in one week in our Day Hospital were included. Data collected included age, gender and number of medications including SADMAN. Patients were asked had they been advised to stop SADMAN medications if unwell, whether medications were blister packed and if they would be confident identifying and stopping a particular medication. Results 27 patients were included. 56% male, mean age 80 years old and mean number of medications 9 (range 0-22). 67% had medications blister-packed. 48% were prescribed one or more SADMAN medications and 15% more than one. Most commonly prescribed were ACEi (30%) and diuretics (19%). No patients had been advised to stop taking a SADMAN medication if they became unwell. Only 19% of patients (31% on SADMAN medications) were confident they could identify/stop a particular medication. Conclusion Despite clear guidelines to stop SADMAN medications if unwell, we found that no patients attending our Day Hospital were aware of this. Even if patients were appropriately educated, there was a lack of confidence in medication management. Polypharmacy and blister packing of medications pose significant barriers, leading us to question the feasibility of SADMAN guideline implementation in an Ambulatory Geriatric Care setting. Reference 1. Watson KE et al. Consensus Recommendations for Sick Day Medication Guidance for People With Diabetes, Kidney, or Cardiovascular Disease: A Modified Delphi Process. Am J Kidney Dis. 2023 May;81(5): 564-574.doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2022.10.012.