The SCARE 2023 guideline: updating consensus Surgical CAse REport (SCARE) guidelines

TLDR

The Surgical CAse REport (SCARE) guidelines were first published in 2016 to provide surgeons with a standardized and comprehensive reporting framework for surgical cases. The authors aimed to revise and update the SCARE guidelines through a Delphi consensus exercise to keep them relevant amid technological advances and changes in healthcare. A Delphi panel of 54 invited members, including SCARE 2020 guideline contributors, editorial board members, and peer reviewers, completed an online survey after being contacted by e‑mail, with 44 participants (81.5%) responding. The consensus achieved high agreement, with 36 items (83.7%) meeting inclusion thresholds, and the resulting SCARE 2023 guidelines offer surgeons a comprehensive, up‑to‑date tool emphasizing patient‑centred care.

Abstract

The Surgical CAse REport (SCARE) guidelines were first published in 2016 as a tool for surgeons to document and report their surgical cases in a standardised and comprehensive manner. However, with advances in technology and changes in the healthcare landscape, it is important to revise and update these guidelines to ensure they remain relevant and valuable for surgeons.The updated guidelines were produced through a Delphi consensus exercise. Members of the SCARE 2020 guidelines Delphi group, editorial board members, and peer reviewers were invited to participate. Potential contributors were contacted by e-mail. An online survey was completed to indicate their agreement with the proposed changes to the guideline items.A total of 54 participants were invited to participate and 44 (81.5%) completed the survey. There was a high degree of agreement among reviewers, with 36 items (83.7%) meeting the threshold for inclusion.Through a completed Delphi consensus exercise we present the SCARE 2023 guidelines. This will provide surgeons with a comprehensive and up-to-date tool for documenting and reporting their surgical cases while highlighting the importance of patient-centred care.