Methodology

The Task Group and chapter panels are made up of members of ACOEM’s Public Safety Medicine Section* and stakeholder representatives from other organizations. Each member of the Task Group serves indefinitely to allow for continuity in the development process.

In developing each section of the guidance document, the Task Group participated in several multi-day in-person meetings each year. In addition to these meetings, Task Group members were in constant contact via e-mail, teleconferences, etc., when developing document content and reviewing and editing each section of the document. Physician Task Group members were responsible for creating the medical sections, which were then reviewed, edited, discussed, and approved by the Task Group as a whole. The review process is performed in conjunction with content experts and advocacy group representatives. The reviewed documents are sent to the Public Safety Medicine Section and other contributing organizations for comment. The Task Group then integrates the comments into the document which then enters the ACOEM approval process with final approval by the Board of Directors.

In developing this guidance, the Task Group considered the following:

• Published medical literature
• Governmental Standards and Guidelines
• Guidelines produced by other organizations for similar groups
• Experts from national organizations (i.e., American Diabetes Association, Epilepsy Foundation of America, etc.); and
• Expertise of the Task Group.

When the above sources did not provide sufficient guidance, the Task Group relied on consensus opinion. Guidance based on consensus opinion is so stated in each document.

*The ACOEM Public Safety Medicine Section focuses on the special occupational and environmental medicine issues unique to firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical service (EMS) providers, correction officers, and other public safety professionals. At present, the Section has more than 150 members.