The Delphi panel, Steering Committee, and Chair
The Delphi panel comprised clinical experts in cochlear implantation, from the fields of otology, audiology, and hearing science, who were to take part in the development of the consensus statements. The Chair of the Delphi panel was Professor Craig A Buchman (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA).
Four clinical experts were identified by the Chair to form the steering committee, while also being the first members of the Delphi panel:
- Professor René H Gifford (Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA);
- Professor David Haynes (Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA);
- Professor Thomas Lenarz (Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany); and
- Professor Gerard O’Donoghue (University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK).
The steering committee was responsible for designing and finalising the Delphi consensus protocol, identifying candidates to complete the Delphi panel, and approving the Systematic Review areas of interest for the study.
All members of the steering committee and the Delphi panel, except the Chair, were able to vote in the consensus process. Voting on the draft consensus statements took place over three rounds.
Members of the Delphi Panel are as follows