scholarly journals Toward a new information infrastructure in health technology assessment: Communication, design, process, and results

2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (S2) ◽  
pp. 92-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanna Allgurin Neikter ◽  
Nina Rehnqvist ◽  
Måns Rosén ◽  
Helena Dahlgren
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Information Infrastructure ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
User Needs ◽  
Target Groups ◽  
New Information ◽  
Starting Point

Objectives: The aim of this study was to facilitate effective internal and external communication of an international network and to explore how to support communication and work processes in health technology assessment (HTA).Structure and Methods: European network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) connected sixty-four HTA Partner organizations from thirty-three countries. User needs in the different steps of the HTA process were the starting point for developing an information system. A step-wise, interdisciplinary, creative approach was used in developing practical tools.Results: An Information Platform facilitated the exchange of scientific information between Partners and with external target groups. More than 200 virtual meetings were set up during the project using an e-meeting tool. A Clearinghouse prototype was developed with the intent to offering a single point of access to HTA relevant information. This evolved into a next step not planned from the outset: Developing a running HTA Information System including several Web-based tools to support communication and daily HTA processes. A communication strategy guided the communication effort, focusing on practical tools, creating added value, involving stakeholders, and avoiding duplication of effort.Conclusions: Modern technology enables a new information infrastructure for HTA. The potential of information and communication technology was used as a strategic tool. Several target groups were represented among the Partners, which supported collaboration and made it easier to identify user needs. A distinctive visual identity made it easier to gain and maintain visibility on a limited budget.

OP83 Thinking Explicitly About Ethical Issues In Health Technology Assessment: Lessons From The Canadian Agency For Drugs And Technologies In Health

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (S1) ◽  
pp. 30-31
Author(s):  
Ken Bond ◽  
Katherine Duthie
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Dna Mismatch ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Obstructive Sleep ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Explicit Analysis ◽  
End Stage

Introduction:While methods for ethics analysis in health technology assessment (HTA) exist, there have been relatively few applications and assessments of these methods. The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) began to include an explicit analysis of ethical issues within its HTAs in 2015. To examine some of the differences among ethics analyses, we critically compared the conduct and contribution of the analysis of ethical issues for four CADTH HTAs.Methods:Two experts in ethics in HTA examined ethics analyses conducted by CADTH for four technologies: DNA mismatch repair testing for colorectal cancer, treatments for obstructive sleep apnea, dialysis for end-stage liver disease, and human papillomavirus screening for cervical cancer. The methods of analysis and presentation of results, extent to which the ethics analysis was used in committee deliberations was gathered via meeting notes, recommendation documents, and discussion, and were summarized narratively.Results:The amount of literature explicitly discussing ethical issues pertaining to particular technologies varied and was not predicted by the age and maturity of a technology. The axiological approach proved a helpful starting point for ethical reflection, but other methods were used for analysis and presentation. Explicit discussion of ethical issues identified the need for additional information to ensure robust deliberation. Committee members expressed the belief that ethics analysis “brought together” individual sections of the HTA.Conclusions:While many methods exist for ethics analysis, ethics expertise is required to identify and explicitly discuss the complete range of ethical issues relevant to a particular HTA. Ethics analyses create space to challenge assumptions underlying the clinical and economic evidence, raise issues about the value of technologies, and help to integrate the HTA results.

AGING AND HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT: AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 442-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don Juzwishin ◽  
Heather McNeil ◽  
Jeonghoon Ahn ◽  
Yingyao Chen ◽  
Americo Cicchetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
International Panel ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Aging And Health ◽  
Health Institutions ◽  
The Individual

Objectives:With the increase in technologies to support an aging population, health technology assessment (HTA) of aging-related technologies warrants special consideration. At Health Technology Assessment international (HTAi) 2016 and HTAi 2017, an international panel explored interests in HTA focused on aging.Methods:Panelists from five countries shared the state of aging and HTA in their countries. Opportunities were provided for participants to discuss and rate the themes identified by the panelists.Results:In 2016, the highest ranked themes were: (i) identifying unmet needs of older adults that could be met by technology—how can HTA help?; (ii) differences in assessment of aging-related technologies—what is the scope?; and (iii) involvement of older adults and caregivers. These themes became the starting point for discussion in 2017, for which the highest ranked themes were: (i) identification of challenges in HTA and aging; and (ii) approaches to advancing effectiveness of HTA for aging.Conclusion:These discussions allowed for examination of future directions for HTA and aging: engagement of older adults to inform the agenda of HTA and the broader public policy enterprise; a systems approach to thinking about needs of older persons should support the type and level of care desired by the individual rather than the health institutions, and HTA should reflect these desires when evaluating technological aides; and there is potential for health information systems and “big data” to support HTA activities that assess usability of technologies for older adults. We hope to build on the momentum of this community to continue exploring opportunities for aging and HTA.

scholarly journals Tackling ethical issues in health technology assessment: A proposed framework

2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Burls ◽  
Lorraine Caron ◽  
Ghislaine Cleret de Langavant ◽  
Wybo Dondorp ◽  
Christa Harstall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Context Sensitive ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Methodological Approaches

Objectives: Values are intrinsic to the use of health technology assessments (HTAs) in health policy, but neglecting value assumptions in HTA makes their results appear more robust or normatively neutral than may be the case. Results of a 2003 survey by the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) revealed the existence of disparate methods for making values and ethical issues explicit when conducting HTA.Methods: An Ethics Working Group, with representation from sixteen agencies, was established to develop a framework for addressing ethical issues in HTA. Using an iterative approach, with email exchanges and face-to-face workshops, a report on Handling Ethical Issues was produced.Results: This study describes the development process and the agreed upon framework for reflexive ethical analysis that aims to uncover and explore the ethical implications of technologies through an integrated, context-sensitive approach and situates the proposed framework within previous work in the development of ethics analysis in HTA.Conclusions: It is important that methodological approaches to address ethical reflection in HTA be integrative and context sensitive. The question-based approach described and recommended here is meant to elicit this type of reflection in a way that can be used by HTA agencies. The questions proposed are considered only as a starting point for handling ethics issues, but their use would represent a significant improvement over much of the existing practice.

scholarly journals EXCHANGING VIEWS ON HTA

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-85
Author(s):  
Marjukka Mäkelä
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Lively Discussion ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Methodological Challenges ◽  
Starting Point

This issue of the International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care (IJTAHC) brings to the readers a lively discussion on the possibility of benchmarking health technology assessment (HTA) organizations. Michael Drummond and colleagues present a paper discussing “the conceptual and methodological challenges associated with benchmarking” (1). They propose a set of criteria for comparing the quality of organizations that produce assessments on health technologies. Aiming at explicit and transparent comparisons, Drummond et al. also highlight the possible problems in their approach, and present their paper as a starting point for discussion.

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT ON THE AUSTRIAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Schumacher ◽  
Ingrid Zechmeister
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Media Analysis ◽  
System Level ◽  
Target Groups ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: In Austria, research in health technology assessment (HTA) has been conducted since the 1990s. The aim of this study is to analyze whether the HTA research program of the Institute of Technology Assessment (ITA) and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for HTA (LBI-HTA) have had an impact on the Austrian healthcare system.Methods: We applied qualitative and quantitative empirical research methods, such as interviewing, download analysis, questionnaire, retrospective routine data analysis, and media analysis. Data were analyzed according to a conceptual framework, considering seven impact categories (awareness, acceptance, process, decision, practice, final outcomes, enlightenment) and different target groups.Results: A rising number of downloads and single HTA reports with high media interest were identified. Interviews showed that HTA reports have increasingly been used for investment and reimbursement decisions, as well as for the preparation of negotiations. Economic impact was indicated by decreased expenditures due to HTA recommendations. Overall, knowledge about evidence-based medicine increased and, in places, an “HTA culture” can be recognized. Yet, several decision-making processes occur at all levels without the use of HTA.Conclusions: The analysis demonstrated an impact within all predefined categories; however, it depends on the system level and its target groups. HTA reports are primarily used by hospital management, (social) insurances, and the Austrian Ministry of Health. Nevertheless, there is still potential to increase the impact of HTA. Therefore, the inclusion of HTA in decision-making processes in Austria needs to move from a voluntary basis to a mandatory one.

PP39 Health Technology Assessment And Aging: Moving Evidence To Action

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (S1) ◽  
pp. 80-80
Author(s):  
Heather McNeil ◽  
Don Juzwishin ◽  
Paul Stolee ◽  
Jeonghoon Ahn ◽  
Yingyao Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Panel Discussion ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Mutual Awareness ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Barriers And Opportunities

Introduction:With the rapid increase in technologies and innovations to support a growing aging population in many countries, health technology assessment (HTA) of technologies for the aging populace warrants special consideration. Building on our efforts at Health Technology Assessment international (HTAi) conferences in 2016 and 2017, this presentation will highlight themes generated from two previous HTAi collaborations, with an aim of continuing to build interest and capacity in HTA for aging-related technologies in an international ecosystem that is responsive to local needs and global opportunities.Methods:Researchers from Canada's technology and aging network (AGE-WELL) collaborated with international panelists at HTAi conferences in 2016 and 2017 to explore interest in HTA focused on aging. International panelists shared the current state of aging and HTA in their respective countries. At both sessions, opportunities were provided for participants to rate the importance of themes identified by the panelists.Results:At the 2016 session, the two most highly ranked themes were: (i) how HTA can help identify the unmet needs of older adults in society that could be met by technology; and (ii) engagement of older adults and caregivers. These two themes became the starting point for the panel discussion in 2017. At this session, the highest ranked themes were: (i) identification of challenges in HTA and aging; (ii) approaches to advancing the effectiveness of HTA in addressing technology and aging; and (iii) development of an aging-related interest group in HTAi.Conclusions:International collaborations have identified a number of recommendations to consider for HTA and aging-related work including: developing a good mutual awareness and understanding of barriers and opportunities; the importance of co-creating solutions with patients, healthcare providers, researchers, innovators, and funders; and the identification of a suite of methods and tools that can help accelerate technological innovation in care delivery.

scholarly journals QUALITY ASSURANCE OF REGISTRIES FOR HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 360-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate L. Mandeville ◽  
Maja Valentic ◽  
Damir Ivankovic ◽  
Ivan Pristas ◽  
Jae Long ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Registry Data ◽  
Work Package ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
User Friendly

Objectives:The aim of this study was to identify guidelines and assessment tools used by health technology agencies for quality assurance of registries and investigate the current use of registry data by HTA organizations worldwide.Methods:As part of a European Network for Health Technology Assessment Joint Action work package, we undertook a literature search and sent a questionnaire to all partner organizations on the work package and all organizations listed in the International Society for Pharmaco-economics and Outcomes Research directory.Results:We identified thirteen relevant documents relating to quality assurance of registries. We received fifty-five responses from organizations representing twenty-one different countries, a response rate of 40.5 percent (43/110). Many agencies, particularly in Europe, are already drawing on a range of registries to provide data for their HTA. Less than half, however, use criteria or standards to assess the quality of registry data. Nearly all criteria or standards in use have been internally defined by organizations rather than referring to those produced by an external body. A comparison of internal and external standards identified consistency in several quality dimensions, which can be used as a starting point for the development of a standardized tool.Conclusion:The use of registry data is more prevalent than expected, strengthening the need for a standardized registry quality assessment tool. A user-friendly tool developed in conjunction with stakeholders will support the consistent application of approved quality standards, and reassure critics who have traditionally considered registry data to be unreliable.

Versorgungsforschung in der Klinischen Neuropsychologie – eine Standortbestimmung

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 253-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Heel ◽  
Sonja Fischer ◽  
Stefan Fischer ◽  
Tobias Grässer ◽  
Ellen Hämmerling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Empirische Forschung

Zunächst führt dieser Artikel in die wesentlichen Begrifflichkeiten und Zielstellungen der Versorgungsforschung ein. Er befasst sich dann mit der Frage, wie die einzelnen Teildisziplinen der Versorgungsforschung, (1) die Bedarfsforschung, (2) die Inanspruchnahmeforschung, (3) die Organisationsforschung, (4) das Health Technology Assessment, (5) die Versorgungsökonomie, (6) die Qualitätsforschung und zuletzt (7) die Versorgungsepidemiologie konzeptionell zu fassen sind, und wie sie für neuropsychologische Anliegen ausformuliert werden müssen. In diesem Zusammenhang werden die in den einzelnen Bereichen jeweils vorliegenden versorgungsrelevanten Studienergebnisse referiert. Soweit es zulässig ist, werden Bedarfe für die Versorgungsforschung und Versorgungspraxis in der Neurorehabilitation daraus abgeleitet und Anregungen für die weitere empirische Forschung formuliert. Der Artikel bezieht sich – entsprechend seines Anliegens – ausschließlich auf Studien, die sich mit der Situation der deutschen Neurorehabilitation befassen.

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