Methodology and Modernization The ACC/AHA Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines (Task Force) continuously reviews, updates, and modi- fies guideline methodology on the basis of published standards from organizations including the Institute of and on the basis of internal reevaluation. Similarly, the presentation and delivery of guidelines are reevaluated and modified on the basis of evolving tech- nologies and other factors to facilitate optimal dissemi- nation of information at the point of care to healthcare professionals. Given time constraints of busy healthcare providers and the need to limit text, the current guideline format delineates that each recommendation be support- ed by limited text (ideally, <250 words) and hyperlinks to supportive evidence summary tables. Ongoing efforts to further limit text are underway. Recognizing the impor- tance of cost-value considerations in certain guidelines, when appropriate and feasible, an analysis of the value of a drug, device, or intervention may be performed in accordance with the ACC/AHA methodology.3 To ensure that guideline recommendations remain current, new data are reviewed on an ongoing basis, with full guideline revisions commissioned in approxi- mately 6-year cycles. Publication of new, potentially practice-changing study results that are relevant to an existing or new drug, device, or management strategy will prompt evaluation by the Task Force, in consultation with the relevant guideline writing committee, to de- termine whether a focused update should be commis- sioned. For additional information and policies regard- ing guideline development, we encourage readers to 2017 ACC/AHA/HFSA Heart Failure Focused Update CLINICAL STATEMENTS AND GUIDELINES consult the ACC/AHA guideline methodology manual4 and other methodology articles.5 8 Selection of Writing Committee Members The Task Force strives to avoid bias by selecting experts from a broad array of backgrounds. Writing commit- tee members represent different geographic regions, sexes, ethnicities, races, intellectual perspectives/biases, and scopes of clinical practice. 