eDelphi Methodology

Anonymity in the Delphi process can reduce social desirability bias and encourage candid input. Qualitative open-text responses will be coded and thematically analysed so that novel or minority perspectives are not lost in numerical aggregation. Consensus will be defined as at least 70% of respondents selecting agree or strongly agree, or an interquartile range of 1 or less. The Delphi method is suited to complex and emerging healthcare policy areas because it collects structured judgement from experts over multiple rounds, allows review of aggregated feedback, and preserves anonymity. Persistently disputed criteria may be identified as areas for future inquiry rather than being forced into artificial consensus. Potential limitations of the eDelphi approach include attrition across rounds, limited global generalisability, and expert perspectives shaped by regional contexts. Likert-scale ratings may oversimplify complex policy positions, though open-text prompts and thematic analysis are intended to capture nuance and minority views.