BC health care professionals and stakeholders are invited to participate as external reviewers of draft version of BC guidelines. Peer review is a critical component of the guideline development process. New and existing guidelines that have undergone substantive changes are subject to external review to make sure they are clearly written, practical, and free of errors.

The external review involves 1) regular mail sent to a random sample of BC physicians and relevant specialists, and 2) emails to a group of key partners in areas such as pharmacy, laboratory procedures, health authorities, public health, and professional colleges and associations. All feedback received is reviewed by the Guidelines and Protocols Advisory Committee (GPAC) guideline working group. For more information on the external review process, see the GPAC handbook at www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/health/practitioner-pro/bc-guidelines/gpac-handbook/gpachandbook2017.pdf [9].

Earning continuing professional development credits

Physicians who act as external reviewers for BC guidelines may be eligible to receive credit toward continuing professional development or continuing medical education. For more information, see the Continuing Professional Development Credits page at www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/bc-guidelines/continuing-medical-education-cme-credits [10].