The Delphi technique in health sciences education research

TLDR

The Delphi technique gathers anonymous expert opinion through iterative questionnaires, leveraging pooled intelligence to inform research while addressing key validity concerns such as questionnaire design, consensus definition, panel selection, sample size, and data analysis. The study aimed to reach expert consensus on content and methods for maintaining competence among district‑hospital medical practitioners. The authors applied the Delphi method to generate recommendations for education and training of district‑hospital medical practitioners in South Africa.

Abstract

The Delphi technique is a method of collecting opinion on a particular research question. It is based on the premise that pooled intelligence enhances individual judgement and captures the collective opinion of a group of experts without being physically assembled. The conventional Delphi uses a series of questionnaires to generate expert opinion in an anonymous fashion and takes place over a series of rounds. The technique is becoming a popular strategy that straddles both quantitative and qualitative realms. Issues that are critical to its validity are the development of the questionnaire; definition of consensus and how to interpret non-consensus; criteria for and selection of the expert panel; sample size; and data analysis. The authors used the Delphi technique to assist with making recommendations regarding education and training for medical practitioners working in district hospitals in South Africa. The objective of this Delphi was to obtain consensus opinion on content and methods relating to the maintenance of competence of these doctors. They believe the experience gained from their work may be useful for other health science education researchers wishing to use the Delphi method.