MAGIC

Trustworthy guidelines, evidence summaries and decision aids that we can all use and share

For organizations

How to use MAGICapp

Multiple functions and features

The MAGIC authoring and publication platform (MAGICapp) integrates multiple functions and features to author and publish guidelines.

The platform allows developers to write and publish their guidelines and evidence summaries in a highly structured fashion, using the GRADE methodology, new technology and a host of recent developed frameworks. MAGICapp is a web based collaborative tool that does not require any software installation and allows publication on all devices.

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Considerations when adopting MAGICapp

  • Backing from leadership to move to a digital way of authoring.
  • Willingness to consider new processes for development of guidelines.
  • Using, or wanting to use, GRADE.

Transitioning from MS Word documents to digital content

Shifting over to create content that are digital and structured, as well as working on a web platform, may require a different form of cooperation between administrators, editors and content contributors than has been the practice previously. MAGICapp is a collaboration platform, where multiple authors or reviewers can access at the same time and the degree of access is controlled by your guideline administrators or main editors.

A multilayered interface require authors to think through which information should be shown up front, and what can be available with a click. The rationale that underpins a recommendation becomes more explicit and visible, so wording might change from previous documents. Authors can still get a word document, or pdf, to rapidly go through content and write suggestions, or for use when offline, but the main authoring and content development happens in the web platform.

Authoring and publishing

The platform facilitates the steps in the authoring process, from assessment of your body of evidence (GRADE), through judgements of key factors that underpins your rationale for decision (Evidence to Decision factors) and to the recommendation and its strength. It is not a prerequisite to use or understand the GRADE methodology, but we strongly advice organization to consider it, as GRADE has become a globally widespread standard for assessment of Evidence and strength of recommendations. There are GRADE courses available from GRADE centers, and our team can also assist you in transitioning to, or use of GRADE.

Publishing digital guidelines differ from publishing a word or PDF document, by its opportunities. When you make your guideline public, it is available on our platform, but you can link directly to it from your own site, incorporate content into your products or journal articles, or build your own interface for the content. For all published guidelines there is an automatic PDF made, which can also be used for dissemination. Guideline links will always take users to the most recent versions of your guidelines, so you do not have to worry about downstream product becoming out of date.

Best practices

Implementing MAGICapp in your organization based on best practices.

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Successful introduction

To ensure a successful introduction of MAGICapp we suggest to:

  • Consider if GRADE training or training in developing guidelines is needed.
  • Establish clear expectations about MAGICapp for the participants in the working group from day one.
  • Develop an explicit pilot phase with a timeline, where your team can give feedback to the process.
  • Create clear role descriptions about who will enter information in the tool, who will revise the information and how revisions will be coordinated.
  • Develop writing rules for multi-layered guidelines versus traditional publications so that the end result will be a good reference tool for clinicians. This includes clear descriptions of how specific text fields will be used and which data fields should be completed as a minimum.
  • Build up internal support through a handful of enthusiasts that can support users and that can fuel cultural change towards a new way of developing and publishing guidelines.
  • Inform the IT department that the organization is using the software so that they can adjust any caching or proxy server settings related to MAGICapp within the organizational network.
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Pilot phase

We suggest starting with a pilot phase:

  • Including only a few authors in the first part of the pilot phase is usually smart.
  • The feedback and experiences from the pilot authors will be useful when more of the author team(s) start working in MAGICapp.
  • In the first part of this pilot phase we suggest starting with adding content from an existing guideline, to get experience with the functionality before moving to creating new content.

Timeline

We suggest writing up a good plan with a timeline:

  • This will make progress easier to manage.
  • Make plans for both the pilot phase and further work.
  • Involve both leadership and authors in the plan, to ensure buy-in from all levels.
  • Consider consulting us for drawing up the plan.
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Training authors for efficient use of MAGICapp

Internal superusers that know MAGICapp well, can support users in how to develop recommendations.

Smooth adoption with superusers

  • We mainly train internal MAGIC superusers, that in turn train their authors.
  • We have course material and can run startup courses for author groups.
  • You also need internal superusers that are familiar with guideline methodology, and can give methodological support. We can assist in their training, should that be needed.
  • In our experience, your superusers should preferably be available also outside regular working hours, as many working group members (e.g clinicians) are actively editing guidelines after clinical work.

Explore frequently

  • In order to learn to use a professional tool like MAGICapp one must take the time to become familiar with it.
  • Remember that some authors (e.g clinicians) are editing infrequently, and might need short reminder-sessions.
  • We suggest to emphasize to all user groups that exploring MAGICapp is the best way to learn it and that it is hard to make irrevocable mistakes.
  • Superusers will be able to contact their MAGIC contact for direct and fast support.

Integration with other software that can drive adoption

MAGICapp provides good integration with other software in the evidence ecosystem.

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Built-in reference management

MAGICapp has built-in reference management and integrations for each guideline.

You can import references directly from reference manager software like Endnote, Mendeley, Zotero, Refworks etc. References can also be imported from Pubmed or from a RevMan file.

Naturally, references can also be added manually.

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Integration with tools and content from Systematic reviews

You can import content from meta-analysis done in RevMan, and references screened from data extraction tools like Covidence and Distiller. We are in contact with other tools to support data transfer from them too (e.g EPPI-reviewer).

In addition, we are part of several international working groups to create a global standard for exchange of Evidence-related data, e.g EBMonFHIR and CPGonFHIR.

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What will the recommendations look like?

Users get an instant view of how the developed content will be presented to the end user.

Instant view of developed content

It is important that authors keep their readers in mind while developing their content.

Authors and admins can at any point in time get an instant view of how the developed content will be presented to the end user.

All organizations that sign up with us get a personal site where only their own content shows.

Organization can brand their published guidelines with their own logo and brand identity, including custom colors for background, labels and buttons.

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How will MAGICapp guidelines be published?

Organizations that choose to use MAGICapp to develop guidelines have several publishing options.

Integration and embed features

The guidelines can also be integrated into your own website, using direct import or embed features.

Our publishing platform has an inherent mobile application feature, which makes all content usable on all mobile platforms through mobile browsers. Use of the mobile app is totally free.

Content can be exported as pdf, word or RevMan file or as JSON data for the circumstances where you will need that.

Use our site as your publication channel

  • Link directly from your own web-page to each guideline, or to a collection of all your guidelines.
  • Have the design and colors match your own.
  • No costly development for your organization.
  • Our platform works as a mobile app, including offline functionality.
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Decision aids

MAGICapp also enables the publication of patient decision aids.

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Clinical Decision Support

MAGICapp facilitates computerized decision support and integration in electronic medical records.

Use of such a function requires integration by medical record vendors.

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MAGICapp a platform with technical support

MAGICapp is a fully functional platform that is under continuous development. New feature requests are taken seriously and the MAGICapp team is quick to provide support.

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Continuous development

Bugs and imperfections may sometimes occur for new functionalities. The imperfections are in general minor, but users need to know that bugs can occur, and they can report them if encountered.

The MAGICapp team provides excellent help to rectify errors or to explain users how to prevent them from happening again. We provide regular updates, which ensure that users see that their feedback is being listened to and acted upon. It creates confidence, as they can clearly see that MAGICapp improves continuously.

Authors also get an update email before each release, to explain new and upcoming features. On our help pages we explain all features, should you want a more thorough explanation.

Realistic expectations

We suggest to:

  • Set realistic expectations, so that users of MAGICapp are aware that they can encounter some bugs and imperfections, and that these should be reported
  • Train superusers that can provide direct support to users within the organization.

The MAGICapp team is always available to provide support in connection with the issues users are having.

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MAGIC keeps a close contact with users

The MAGICapp team takes feedback and suggestions from users seriously.

Monthly newsletters

We publish monthly newsletters to communicate improvements in the tool and to informs about the planning for the next month.

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Back-up of MAGICapp recommendations

Guidelines that you develop within MAGICapp are stored safely with us.

Daily backups

Your MAGICapp guidelines and it’s versions will always be safe with us.

We make 2 daily backups of the database, and if necessary we can retrieve content stored on MAGICapp' s servers.

Different formats and versions

For each new version we save a web version, a PDF and a data file. All these different formats will remain available for each version.

For all critical data we only mark it deleted and not actually delete it. This enables us to recover deleted PICOs and recommendations in cases of mis-deleting.

What if you choose to stop using MAGICapp?

Your content remains always yours and you can export your content in multiple data or file formats.

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Termination of services

We hope that you will prefer to continue using MAGICapp, but should you desire to stop using MAGICapp, then you can export your content as JSON data or as RevMan, pdf or word files.

Rights and interest

MAGIC does not obtain any right, title or interest to any of your content.