Delphi Panels

The Delphi method is a structured and systematic technique used to gather consensus on specific issues from a group of experts. This iterative, consensus gathering approach is characterised by controlled feedback and participant (pseudo) anonymity. Delphi panels can be used on a wide range of healthcare topics, for example, to generate best practice guidelines or recommendations, provide inputs for economic models using structured expert elicitation, or provide opinion on current patient care and unmet medical needs.

Costello Medical has extensive experience of conducting Delphi panels on behalf of our clients. We can offer support and strategic guidance throughout, from project initiation (including identification and recruitment of panellists and steering committee members), through to survey development and distribution, analysis and presentation of results, and development of summary reports and peer-reviewed consensus manuscripts.

We have supported both online and face-to-face Delphi panels involving a variety of different stakeholders, and across a range of disease areas and geographies (including global multilingual Delphi projects).

Linkert type question shown on Delphi panel

Innovation in Action: Our Delphi Panel App

We are committed to conducting robust Delphi panels that maximise efficiency and minimise the burden on participants. In recognition of this, our Technical Innovation and Development team have created a bespoke Costello Medical Delphi App, which allows us to design, run, and analyse Delphi panels in a single platform. Our Delphi App allows us to more efficiently conduct Delphi panels that are methodologically robust and suitable for peer-review publication.

Efficiency

Provides one platform for all Delphi panel survey rounds and automatically calculates consensus/distribution graphs, removing the need for manual analysis between survey rounds

Usability

Easy-to-use, intuitive interface for the developer and participants; minimal guidance is needed to participate, and results are presented clearly to enable straightforward interpretation

Robustness

Enforces the key characteristics of Delphi panels to ensure each project is methodologically robust, high quality, and suitable for peer-review publication

Our Delphi App has been successfully used in a number of projects for our clients and collaborators, both remotely and as part of live sessions, enabling them to conduct methodologically robust Delphi panels more easily. In doing so, we look forward to improving the quality of Delphi panels in the literature and increasing the utility of this method as an evidence generation tool in the healthcare setting. Examples of peer-review manuscripts presenting results from recent Delphi panel projects supported by Costello Medical can be found below.

 

References

  1. Khawaja AP et al. Additional guidance on the use of the PRESERFLO™ MicroShunt in the treatment of glaucoma: Insights from a second Delphi consensus panel. Ophthalmol Ther. 2024; 13, 1569–1588. Available here.
  2. Laffan M et al. Expert United Kingdom consensus on the preservation of joint health in people with moderate and severe haemophilia A: A modified Delphi panel. Haemophilia. 2024; 1-14. Available here.
  3. Copson ER et al. Expert UK consensus on the definition of high risk of recurrence in HER2-negative early breast cancer: A modified Delphi panel. Breast. 2023 Dec;72:103582. Available here.
  4. Khawaja AP et al. Expert Consensus on the Use of the PRESERFLO™ MicroShunt device in the treatment of glaucoma: A modified Delphi panel. Ophthalmol Ther. 2022; 11(5):1743–1766. Available here.
  5. Khair K et al. Expert opinion on the UK standard of care for haemophilia patients with inhibitors: a modified Delphi consensus study. Ther Adv Hematol. 2021; 12:1–17. Available here.
  6. Stelten BML et al. Expert opinion on diagnosing, treating and managing patients with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX): A modified Delphi study. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2021; 16(1):353. Available here.

If you are interested in finding out more about our Delphi App or our Delphi panel capabilities in general, please contact Debbie Nixon.

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