Clinical policy statements are formulated to standardize and optimize care of patients and the community for specific conditions or diseases. Factors considered when a clinical policy statement is being developed may include:
Clinical policy statements are provided only as assistance for physicians making clinical decisions regarding the care of their patients. As such, they cannot substitute for the individual judgment brought to each clinical situation by the patient’s family physician. As with all clinical reference resources, they reflect the best understanding of the science of medicine at the time of publication, but they should be used with the clear understanding that continued research may result in new knowledge and recommendations. Clinical policy statements are only one element in the complex process of improving the health of America. To be effective, the clinical policy statement must be implemented.