Reflections on 20 years of clinical practice guideline programmes in Germany: what is their impact?

Following a recommendation of the National Advisory Council for the Concerted Action in Health Care, the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF) have promoted, supported and coordinated the development of clinical practice guidelines in Germany since 1995. The allocation of the responsibility for guideline development in the scientific societies corresponded to the principle of subsidiarity, in contrast to other countries counting on government-organised guideline programmes. To fulfil internationally consented criteria of high-quality guidelines, a quality improvement system was established relying on frequent assessments of the current state. Today, high-quality clinical practice guidelines developed by the scientific societies organised under the umbrella of the AWMF are an indispensable tool for various initiatives to improve healthcare in the German healthcare system. The next challenging goal is to establish a theory-driven framework allowing for a systematic implementation and evaluation of guidelines in Germany on the basis of existing approaches. However, success in this endeavour will require further research and funding.