The guideline was published as a supplement in the November 2013 issue of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery

The primary purpose of this guideline is to improve the accuracy of diagnosis for Bell's palsy, to improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients with Bell's palsy, and to decrease harmful variations in the evaluation and management of Bell's palsy. This guideline addresses these needs by encouraging accurate and efficient diagnosis and treatment and, when applicable, facilitating patient follow-up to address the management of long-term sequelae or evaluation of new or worsening symptoms not indicative of Bell's palsy. The guideline is intended for all clinicians in any setting who are likely to diagnose and manage patients with Bell's palsy. The target population is inclusive of both adults and children presenting with Bell's palsy.

Leadership: Reginald Baugh, MD (Chair), Gregory Basura, MD, PhD (Assistant Chair), Lisa Ishii, MD, MHS (Assistant Chair), Seth R. Schwartz, MD, MPH (Methodologist) 

Guideline Development Group: Rebecca Burkholder, JD, Nathan A. Deckard, MD, Cindy Dawson, MSN, RN, Colin Driscoll, MD, M. Boyd Gillespie, MD, MSc, Richard K. Gurgel, MD, John Halperin, MD, Ayesha N. Khalid, MD, Kaparaboyna Ashok Kumar, MD, FRCS, Alan Micco, MD, Debra Munsell, DHSc, PA-C, Steven Rosenbaum, MD, and William Vaughan.