德菲法（Delphi Method）是廣泛被使用的研究方法，尤其適用於新的研究領域（new research area）及探索性研究（exploratory studies），此法乃藉由專家多次來回問卷填寫，達到集體意見一致性，是一種十分客觀而且科學的方法，可應用於尚未達一致性的診斷標準建立。中醫診斷之標準化為近年來國際中醫藥學術研究之重要工作，其中流行性疾病如SARS、流感之威脅日增，中醫相關之六淫辨證之診斷標準化是值得儘速進行之研究議題，因此本研究擬利用德菲法，透過中醫專家問卷填答及會議，訂定出中醫六淫證型的診斷基準。本計劃為二年期之連續計劃，第一年建立中醫六淫證型診斷基準為目標，包括證型診斷的項目及基準。採Delphi方法，由30位專家經三次來回填寫問卷，建立六淫辨證基準的一致性意見。並舉辦專家會議，再確認第一年建立的六淫證型辨證項目及基準。第二年藉由收集六淫外感證及非外感證個案共1000人，使用確認的六淫證型辨證基準，測試兩群個案的鑑別度，以評值第一年建立的辨證基準。預期研究結果將建立中醫六淫證型的診斷基準，可供中醫臨床診治研究之基礎。
The Delphi Method is adopted widely especially in the new research area and exploratory researches. This objective and scientific method is applied to established the criteria for diseases by answering the designed and modified questionnaires for many times by many experts. The standardization the Chinese medical diagnostics becoming an important international issue in recent years. Since the epidemic disease such as SARS and influenza is more and more popular, the standardization of the diagnostic criteria of the “Six Evil” patterns now is a subject worthy to carry on as soon as possible. So we choose the Delphi method in our study, and invite many experts to fill the designed questionnaires to establish the Chinese medical diagnostic criteria for “Six Evil” patterns. This is a two-year study. The goal of the first year is to establish the diagnostic items and standard criteria for each pattern of the Chinese medical “Six Evil”. The goal of the second year is to collect 1000 patients with upper respiratory infection to test the discrimination rate of the criteria established in the first year.
