MSF develops medico-operational guidelines for use in resource-limited environments. These guidelines draw from practical experience and scientific data collected in MSF’s projects, as well as evidence published by leading medical institutions and scientific literature, and guidance published by the World Health Organisation and other UN entities.  Based on its experience gathered in it projects, and in the absence of relevant documents from other agencies, MSF has been producing practical medical-operational guidelines for more than 25 years. The International Guideline Publication (IGP) unit ensures the quality production of MSF guidelines.

International guidelines include 2 categories:

• Public guidelines: for use within and outside MSF. MSF’s public guidelines are used by other non-governmental organisations and international agencies, thereby contributing to enhancing MSF's profile.
• Internal guidelines: for use by MSF only.

 

There are currently over 25 international guidelines, some of them are produced in several languages (English, French, Spanish, Arabic).

The Clinical guideline is MSF’s first international guidelines and consulted by millions of health care professionals per year. It is available to the public in English, Arabic, French and Spanish.

The Medical author-coordinator/medical writer (hereafter: Medical author-coordinator) of the Clinical guidelines is part of the IGP team of the IMQPP department. The Medical author-coordinator of the Clinical guidelines is falling under the direct supervision of and reports to the IGP Manager. The content quality of the Clinical guidelines is supervised by the Head IMQPP. Close collaboration with the IGP team members and the key stakeholders, including but not limited to MSF Intersectional Medical platform leaders and experts, is essential.

The Medical author-coordinator for the Clinical guidelines:

1. Coordinates the development and maintenance of the content quality of MSF Clinical Guidelines. They ensure the Clinical Guidelines are scientifically sound and up to date, consistent with other MSF international guidelines, and relevant and adapted to the MSF operational environment;
2. Writes and revises relevant text and/or chapters for the MSF Clinical Guidelines;
3. Provides input to other MSF international guidelines and tools, as requested;
4. Contributes to continuously improving the methodology (processes, tools, etc.) used by the IGP (and non-IGP) author-coordinators.

1. Project management - Planning

• Generate an annual plan of updates in collaboration with the Editor of the Clinical guidelines and the Pharmacist for the Essential drugs; and in coordination with other IGP members and MSF Intersectional Medical platforms leaders , taking into consideration the annual plan of updates of the other MSF guidelines;
• Adjust planning, in coordination with the IGP manager and editor of the Clinical Guidelines, if new evidence or recommendations relevant to the guideline emerge and/or based on user feedback.

2. Writing

• Conduct proactive literature search, external guidelines review, etc. to support content with up to date scientific evidence, or if lacking, on a consensus of internal and/or external experts;
• Write draft updates maintaining consistency and in compliance with the Guide to producing MSF guidelines, request and integrate input from relevant MSF and external experts, as well as references, illustrations, etc.;
• Coordinate closely with the editor of the Clinical Guidelines throughout the writing and revision process e.g. provide regular updates on content changes, consider and integrate feedback;
• Prepare a discussion document to present to the IGP manager and the Head IMQPP department in case of lack of agreement between the different collaborators (Author-coordinator, Editor, Pharmacist, Paediatrician and MSF, and external, experts) on a certain topic. Document and integrate the decision taken;
• Finalise the text, considering the feedback of the Editor, Pharmacist, Paediatrician, MSF, and external experts and the Head IMQPP department, and submit to the editor of the Clinical Guidelines for a final check prior to translation and publication.
• Support translation process by identifying which references are available in French, Arabic and/or Spanish and responding to translator’s content questions, where agreed with Editor.

3. Project management - Coordination

 

• Coordinate the input of MSF and external experts e.g. regular e-mail communication, attendance of Intersectional Medical Platform or specific ad-hoc meetings when invited;
• Manage requests for revision of texts within the Clinical Guidelines from Intersectional Medical Platform’s and other MSF stakeholders, and facilitate consensus-seeking and decision-making on content;
• Coordinate with other authors working on international guidelines, relevant working group members and managers of product catalogues (Spinco etc.) for coherence.
• Coordinate with editors, other authors, and translators on consistent terminology across MSF public guidelines;
• Create systematic mechanisms for transfer of feedback from MSF and external experts to the wider IGP team, under the coordination and support of the IGP manager;
• Discuss the production and strategy with the IGP Manager on a regular basis and with the Head of department on a yearly basis;
• Disseminate key relevant findings of literature research, external guidelines review, etc. to IGP authors and MSF experts;
• Provide input to other MSF international guidelines and tools, as requested, and agreed with IGP manager. 

 

4. Project management - Documentation

• Collect and store requests for updates of the Clinical Guideline (from Intersectional Medical Platforms, IGP members, field staff, spontaneous contacts);
• Track and ensure references are used and cited correctly;
• Ensure permissions are received and stored for all illustrations, images and photos that are not from an MSF source;
• Archive documents, references, conclusions around key topics used for the updates, to help answer any future questions related to the Clinical guidelines;
• Make use of the IGP IT tools in place (CMS system, word, sharepoint, excel, etc.) for writing, storage of changes and documentation.  

5. Be a proactive IGP team member

• Proactive participation in all relevant meetings and provide regular information on the progress of activities;
• Contribute to the annual IGP plan of action and multi-year plans;
• Participate in the budget forecast, midterm reviews and reporting;
• Participate to the transversal projects of the international guidelines.