Using the Delphi Method to create an Assessment Tool for Hysteroscopy

Objective: To develop an assessment tool for evaluating competency in hysteroscopy among residents
Methods: A three-round Delphi method was used to achieve expert consensus. The expert panel consisted of 31 international experts in gynecology and hysteroscopy. A steering committee was established, a questionnaire and was developed and experts were selected.
Prior to round one, demographic data were collected and a brainstorming process generated open ended questions.
Between rounds one and two, the steering committee synthesized proposed items, organized them with titles, subtitles and anchors. In round two, experts rated the items on a 1-5 Likert scale and provided feedback, including suggestions for revisions or additional items. Items with low mean ratings were excluded.
In round three, the experts rated the final list and suggested further modifications. The finalized list was reviewed by all panel members.
Results: Demographic characteristics of experts. An initial pool of 285 items were reduced to 20 items by round two. Further refinement in round three resulted in a finalized assessment tool with 12 anchored items, culminating in a consensus based recommendation for an assessment tool in hysteroscopy.
Conclusion: This study successfully established an international expert-endorsed assessment tool for office hysteroscopy training – the HYsteroscopy Skill Assessment Tool (HYSAT).