Which step should be first when developing the "evaluation of quality-of-care" phase in clinical practice guidelines?

In developing the "evaluation of quality-of-care" phase in clinical practice guidelines, the first step should be to develop a data collection form. This is because before anything else can be done, it is essential to determine what data needs to be collected in order to evaluate the quality of care provided. By establishing a data collection form as the initial step, it sets a foundation for gathering the necessary information to assess the effectiveness of the care being delivered based on the established guidelines.

Options B, C, and D are not the initial step in this process. Identifying medical review criteria, populations covered by the guideline, and defining objectives of the performance review are all important components of evaluating quality-of-care, but they come after the development of the data collection form.