Guidelines for surveys of the American Pediatric Surgical Association

Abstract

Pediatric surgery is defined by the rare performance of complex operations in children. As a consequence, pediatric surgeons have difficulty identifying high-level evidence to help guide management decisions. The American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) Outcomes and Clinical Trials Committee is dedicated to helping our membership identify best practices and appropriate standards for clinical management of pediatric surgical diseases. Often, the best available evidence will be the opinions and experience of our membership, and therefore, quantifying this experience and opinion correctly is of critical importance. The APSA Outcomes and Clinical Trials Committee has therefore developed guidelines for survey development and administration for use by the APSA membership.