Implementation should be a standard component of practice guidelines and guidance documents

Studies have demonstrated that guidelines that include implementation instructions or tools are more likely to be utilized in practice and presumably lead to desirable outcomes. Nonetheless, systematic evaluations of clinical practice guidelines have repeatedly demonstrated low applicability, meaning inadequate provision of tools to implement and sustain recommended practices. This situation has been reflected in a recent evaluation of surgical site infection (SSI) prevention guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II (AGREE II) tool.