It is preferable for an expert panelist to base their definition of standard of care on their personal practice experience rather than basing it on published literature that cites nationally recognized standard of care criteria.
The standard of care is typically defined as, "What a reasonably prudent physician would do under the same or similar circumstances." The standard of care can also be defined as follows:
A widely accepted textbook defines specific aspects of diagnosis and/or treatment.
A hospital policy/protocol that has proven to be extremely effective in managing conditions such as post-operative DVT, prevention of nosocomial infections, etc.
A well recognized, reputable national organization has published guidelines for diagnosis and/or treatment.