A shared minimum set of outcomes for research and reporting

A core outcome set is an agreed minimum set of outcomes that should be measured and reported in all studies of a particular condition, intervention, population, or care setting. Core outcome sets help reduce outcome heterogeneity, make studies easier to compare, improve evidence synthesis, and ensure that outcomes important to patients, clinicians, researchers, and other stakeholders are considered.

Delphi methods are commonly used in core outcome set development because they allow diverse stakeholders to rate and prioritize candidate outcomes in a structured and transparent way.

Designed for outcome prioritization and stakeholder consensus

Stakeholder Group Management

Organize participants by stakeholder group, such as clinicians, researchers, patients, caregivers, policy leaders, or professional-society representatives.

Outcome Rating Scales

Use structured rating scales, such as 1–9 importance scales, agreement scales, feasibility scales, or custom rating frameworks.

Round-by-Round Feedback

Provide participants with group-level feedback, distribution summaries, and anonymized comments before they reconsider ratings.

Consensus Tracking

Monitor which outcomes meet inclusion, exclusion, or no-consensus thresholds based on predefined criteria.

Real-Time Delphi Options

Use real-time Delphi methods when the study design calls for faster iteration and participant access to updated group feedback.

Reporting-Ready Outputs

Export data and summaries for analysis, steering-committee review, consensus meetings, supplementary files, and manuscripts.

From long list to final core outcome set

Generate candidate outcomesCandidate outcomes may come from systematic reviews, interviews, focus groups, registry data, steering-committee input, prior COS work, or clinical expertise.

Prepare the Delphi surveyOutcomes are organized into domains, definitions are clarified, instructions are written, and rating scales are selected.

Recruit stakeholdersPanels may include patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, funders, professional organizations, regulators, or other groups affected by the research.

Conduct Delphi Round 1Participants rate the importance of each candidate outcome and may provide comments or suggest missing outcomes.

Provide structured feedbackParticipants receive feedback such as distribution of scores, stakeholder-group summaries, and comments from the prior round.

Conduct additional rounds or real-time iterationParticipants reconsider their ratings. Outcomes are tracked against predefined consensus rules.

Consensus meetingMany COS projects include a final meeting to review Delphi results and confirm the final core outcome set.

Reporting and disseminationThe study team reports the final COS, methodology, participant flow, response rates, consensus criteria, and outcome-selection process.

Core outcome set and related consensus applications

Clinical Trial COS

Define outcomes that should be measured and reported across clinical trials.

Observational Research COS

Support consistent outcome measurement in registries and observational studies.

Minimum Data Sets

Develop standard data elements and outcome domains for research and reporting.

Patient-Reported Outcomes

Prioritize outcomes that matter to patients, caregivers, and families.

Outcome Definitions

Build consensus around definitions, domains, and measurement concepts.

Consensus Meetings

Prepare results and summaries for final consensus meetings after Delphi rounds.

Selected COS-related references

Examples of core outcome set and outcome-set work associated with Surveylet / Calibrum include:

COHESION: Neonatal Encephalopathy

A core outcome set for the treatment of neonatal encephalopathy that explicitly identifies Calibrum / Surveylet software.

COSUTI: Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection

A core outcome set for interventions for uncomplicated urinary tract infection in adults, involving a systematic review, online Delphi survey, and consensus meeting.

Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy

A minimum data set / core outcome set development process in degenerative cervical myelopathy that identifies Surveylet / Calibrum.

Neonatal Sepsis

A neonatal sepsis core outcome set publication that cites Calibrum.

Stillbirth Prevention and Bereavement Care

A meta-core outcome set for stillbirth prevention and bereavement care following stillbirth that reports use of Calibrum / Surveylet.

CREAT-ED: Older Adults in Emergency Departments

A core outcome set protocol for research with older adults in emergency departments using real-time Delphi methods.

COSAVRI: Acute Viral Respiratory Infections

A core outcome set protocol for pharmacological treatments in hospitalized patients with acute viral respiratory infections.

View Full Reference List

A platform and services model for complex consensus research

Core outcome set projects often involve multiple stakeholder groups, long candidate-outcome lists, detailed definitions, repeated ratings, carefully defined consensus thresholds, and publication-quality reporting expectations. Surveylet helps manage this complexity, while Calibrum’s services can support the operational and methodological steps needed to run the process efficiently.

Delphi Design Planning

Support for study structure, rounds, thresholds, scales, and stakeholder panels.

Surveylet Configuration

Outcome lists, domains, participant workflows, feedback, reminders, and testing.

Analysis and Reporting

Round summaries, consensus status, tables, figures, and methods-support language.

Delphi support for core outcome set development