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.

EUR-ASSESS Project Subgroup Report on Methodology:Methodological Guidance for the Conduct of Health Technology Assessment

1997 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Liberati ◽  
Trevor A. Sheldon ◽  
H. David Banta
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Policy Decisions ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Benefits And Costs

Health technology assessment (HTA) is primarily concerned with the consequences (benefits and costs) of health care and health policy decisions. Because decision making is complex and outcomes are often uncertain, it is helpful to attempt to assess the consequences. The quality of decisions can be improved by a process that provides a consistent framework for identifying and assessing health technologies.

scholarly journals History of health technology assessment: Spain

2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (S1) ◽  
pp. 163-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Sampietro-Colom ◽  
Jose Asua ◽  
Eduardo Briones ◽  
Jordi Gol ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Policy Coordination ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Regional Government ◽  
Health Care Environment ◽  
Health Technologies

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of the introduction and diffusion of health technology assessment (HTA) in Spain.Methods: A survey to summarize the evolution of HTA was sent to representatives of different HTA initiatives in Spain.Results: HTA was introduced in the late 1980s. The main factors were the trend to an increase in healthcare expenditure, concerns regarding efficiency in providing health care, as well as in the level of rationality introducing high technology. Spain has direct (i.e., regulation) and indirect (i.e., payment systems, evidence-based programs, HTA) mechanisms to control health technologies. A recent high priority regulation has established the need of HTA to decide the introduction of a new health technology in the lists of public healthcare coverage, although similar regulations existed in the past and were scarcely implemented. HTA initiatives started at the regional government level. Its introduction followed a progressive pattern among regions. In the beginning, resources were scarce and expertise limited, with work done at intramural level. With time, expertise increase, and promotion of commissioned work was implemented. HTA knowledge transfer in the healthcare system has been carried out through courses, publications, and commissioned research. Currently, there are seven HTA units/agencies, which coordinate their work.Conclusions: HTA in Spain is in its maturity. Facing the unavoidable change of health care environment over time, HTA is also evolving and, currently, there is a trend to broaden the areas of influence of HTA by devolving capacity to hospitals and applying principles to very early phases of health technology development, under the umbrella of regional HTA units/agencies. However, there are two main challenges ahead. One is to have a real impact at the highest level of healthcare policy coordination among Spanish regions, which is done at the Central Ministry of Health. The other is to avoid the influence of political waves in the level of recognition of HTA at the policy decision-making level and to have an adequate and stable funding of HTA initiatives.

Opportunities to improve reporting of rapid response in health technology assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matheus O. de Almeida ◽  
Thais Montezuma ◽  
Haliton A. de Oliveira Júnior ◽  
Cleusa Pinheiro Ferri
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Epidemiologic Study ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Quality Of Reporting ◽  
Quality Of Evidence ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Study Selection

Abstract Introduction Mini health technology assessment (HTA) reports have been used to support policy makers and health systems by providing a timely summary of scientific evidence. The objective of this meta-epidemiologic study was to evaluate the quality of reporting of mini-HTA reports published in Brazil. Methods An electronic search for all mini-HTA reports published between 2014 and March 2019 was conducted in the SISREBRATS and CONITEC databases. The study selection and data extraction were performed by two independent assessors. The following data were extracted: bibliographic data; research question; characteristics of the population, health technologies and outcomes assessed; eligibility criteria; information about searches and study selection; risk of bias assessment; quality of evidence assessment; synthesis of results; and recommendation about the technology evaluated. A descriptive analysis was used to summarize the information retrieved from all the included mini-HTA reports. Results We included 103 mini-HTA reports, the great majority of which (92.3 percent) focused on the coverage of the technologies in the healthcare system, with more than 60 percent being about drugs. Only five mini-HTA reports (4.8 percent) gave reasons for the choice of outcomes, and fifteen (14.5 percent) discriminated between primary and secondary outcomes. All mini-HTAs reported the databases searched and 99 percent of them reported using Medline. Sixty percent of the mini-HTA reported assessing the risk of bias, and 52 percent reported assessing the quality of evidence. Conclusion The quality of reporting of the mini-HTA reports performed in Brazil is insufficient and needs to be improved to guarantee transparency and replicability.

OP101 Do We Need To Extend Health Technology Assessment To Health Enhancement Assessment?

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 46-46
Author(s):  
Bjørn Hofmann
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Wide Range

INTRODUCTION:Several health technologies used for therapy can also be used for health enhancement. Drugs stimulating cognitive abilities are but one example. Health Technology Assessment (HTA) has not been developed for assessing enhancements. This raises the question of how HTA should address the blurred distinction between therapy and enhancement. Should we (i) carve out a distinction between therapy and enhancement and limit HTA to therapy, (ii) use HTA for both therapy and enhancement (with some modifications), or (iii) should we develop a separate health enhancement assessment (HEA)?METHODS:A literature search of the medical, philosophical, and bioethical literature was conducted for debates, arguments, and suggested solutions to the issue of therapy versus enhancement.RESULTS:The same improvement in health may be therapeutic in one patient, but an enhancement in another. Moreover, both therapy and enhancement share the same goal: increased health and wellbeing. A wide range of arguments try to establish a difference between therapy and enhancement. They refer to naturalness, rehabilitation, normality, species-typical functioning/potential, disease, sustainability, and responsibility. On closer scrutiny few of these arguments do the job in bolstering the therapy-enhancement distinction. We already use a wide range of means to extend human abilities. Moreover, the therapy-enhancement distinction raises a wide range of ethical issues that are relevant for the assessment of a number of emerging health technologies.CONCLUSIONS:Existing HTA methodology can address a wide range of non-therapeutic health enhancements. However, a series of broader issues related to the goal of health care and responsibility for altering human evolution may not be addressed within traditional HTA frameworks. Specific HEAs may therefore be helpful.

OP127 Analysis Of The Competencies To Be Acquired In Health Technology Assessment

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 59-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Chiumente ◽  
Iñaki Gutiérrez-Ibarluzea ◽  
Jani Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Program Description ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Masters Degree

INTRODUCTION:Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a multidisciplinary activity that systematically examines different dimensions related to the direct and indirect consequences of health technologies when implemented in healthcare systems. HTA is developed by multidisciplinary teams in order to cover all the mentioned dimensions. However, the quality of the processes produced by HTA teams will depend upon the competencies that those teams will acquire and incorporate including knowledge, skills and attitudes (1). The aim of this research was to determine how well these dimensions and competencies are covered in HTA academic Masters degree courses and manuals.METHODS:We analyzed what had been done in terms of competencies definition in HTA: how it has been reflected; theoretically and according to the authors, and how competencies can be structured; know-how and values. We explored HTA manuals and HTA academic Masters degree courses. We searched in Google with specific terms: building capacities, HTA, programs, Masters, diplomas. We used the HTAi vortal and the information related to courses (for example Masters degrees) and HTA agencies and network webpages for programs. The inclusion criteria were formal programs that describe HTA capacity building and not partial teaching of certain aspects of HTA and we excluded non-recognized institutions, or where there was no description of the programs or lack of detail regarding objectives and competencies to be achieved.RESULTS:We found 105 courses or programs and analyzed 8 reports and 3 manuals. The main challenges that we faced were: that information was difficult to retrieve, not similarly structured, difficulties to find key information in webpages, no program description at all in some cases and the need to contact institutions staff or register as a student to receive the information and finally, it was difficult to obtain contact details of key people. We structured the information on competencies in knowledge, skills and attitudes.CONCLUSIONS:The analyzed Masters degree courses and manuals did not cover all of the dimensions of HTA analysis in an equal and standardized way. The ethical, legal, social and organizational aspects were lacking in some of the programs, while, on the contrary, clinical and economic aspects were substantially included. On the basis of the information retrieved it would be good to define core competencies for HTA.

Scientific Development of HTA—A Proposal by the Health Technology Assessment International Scientific Development and Capacity Building Committee

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 263-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gert Jan van der Wilt ◽  
Alric Rüther ◽  
Rebecca Trowman
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Scientific Development ◽  
Scientific Quality ◽  
Specific Patient ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Current Trends

AbstractObjectivesTo report from the Scientific Development and Capacity Building Committee of Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) on activities that are being undertaken within HTAi regarding the promotion of scientific rigor in the field of health technology assessment (HTA).MethodsRetrieval of definitions of HTA that the SDCB committee considered reflective of the current practice of HTA, followed by a narrative synthesis of the core components of HTA.ResultsSeveral definitions of HTA have been provided, all sharing the notion that HTA is the formal, systematic, and transparent inquiry into the meaning and value, broadly defined, of health technologies, when used in specific patient populations.Many frameworks and tools have been developed for assessing the quality of specific tasks that may be conducted in the context of HTA. Collating such frameworks and tools is likely to be helpful in developing standards and in providing guidance as to how the scientific quality of HTA may be secured. Two current trends in HTA were noted: a stronger health systems focus, and the need to involve stakeholders throughout the HTA process. A wider systems’ perspective requires that plausible alternative scenarios are being developed, and wide consultation of various stakeholders is a prerequisite to the development of such scenarios with data from various sources.ConclusionsCurrent trends in HTA will lead to different demands on the HTA expert. The task of this emerging policy professional would be not just to provide technical information for problem-solving, but also to combine it with a new function of facilitating public deliberation and learning.

The Status of Health Technology Assessment Worldwide: Results of an International Survey

1997 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seymour Perry ◽  
Eric Gardner ◽  
Mae Thamer
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Patient ◽  
International Survey ◽  
The Status

AbstractHealth technology assessment (HTA) has increasingly become a valuable tool to examine effectiveness, quality of care, patient outcomes, and cost-effectiveness of health care technologies. In 1994 and 1995, a survey was conducted to document the scope of worldwide HTA activities; 103 organizations from 24 countries responded. This paper summarizes the results of this international survey, including a description of each country's program, types of technologies assessed, methodologies used, and dissemination approaches. Results for Canada, the United States, and European and other countries are presented separately.

QUALITY OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT REPORTS PREPARED FOR THE MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 315-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Hua ◽  
Tristan Boonstra ◽  
Patrick J. Kelly ◽  
Andrew Wilson ◽  
Jonathan C. Craig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Advisory Committee ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
European Collaboration ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Over Time

Objectives:The Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) makes recommendations to the Australian Government for funding health technologies under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). Differences in public, clinical, commercial, and political opinions on health expenditure emphasize the importance of defensible funding decisions. We aimed to evaluate the quality of health technology assessment (HTA) reports over time and among health technologies assessed for MSAC.Main Outcome Measures:A cohort study was performed of HTA reports prepared for MSAC between 1998 and 2013. We measured the quality of HTA reports using reporting guidelines proposed by the European Collaboration for Assessment of Health Interventions. Individual component scores across eleven domains were calculated, and summed for an overall aggregate score. We used linear regression to investigate any change in quality over time and among the types of technologies assessed.Results:We included 110 HTA reports. The safety (80 percent), effectiveness (84 percent), economic (74 percent), and organizational (99 percent) domains were better reported than the psychological, social, and ethical considerations (34 percent). The basic (75 percent), methodological (62 percent), background (82 percent), contextual (46 percent), status quo (54 percent), and technical information (66 percent) that framed each assessment were inconsistently reported. On average, overall quality scores increased by 2 percent (p< 0.001) per year, from approximately 60 percent to 80 percent over the 15-year period, with no significant difference among surgical, diagnostic or other nonpharmaceutical health technologies (p= 0.22).Conclusions:HTA reports prepared for MSAC are a key tool in allocating scarce health resources. The overall quality of these reports has improved, but the reporting of specific domains and subthemes therein could be better addressed.

VP31 Health Technology Assessment Evidence On E-Health/M-Health Technologies: Fields For Improvement

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 161-162
Author(s):  
Vladimir Vukovic ◽  
Carlo Favaretti ◽  
Chiara de Waure
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Core Model ◽  
Outcome Indicators ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Legal Implications ◽  
Quality Of Research

INTRODUCTION:Evaluation is crucial for integration of e-Health/m-Health applications into healthcare systems and their further sustainability. However, evaluation of these technologies is often challenged by poor quality of research design, lack of common outcome indicators and no consensus on appropriate methodology. Health Technology Assessment (HTA) could offer a sound methodological basis for these evaluations (1). The aim of this study was to look for HTA reports on e-Health/m-Health technologies and to describe their characteristics and analyze transparency, consistency and thoroughness, with the goal to detect fields for improvements.METHODS:A literature search was performed on PubMed, ISI WOS and University of York – Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) electronic databases, in order to identify reports that had evaluated e-Health/m-Health technologies, published until 1 April 2016. We used the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) checklist (2) to evaluate transparency and consistency of included reports. We also assessed thoroughness of reports by checking the presence of the domains suggested by European Network for HTA (EUnetHTA) HTA Core Model (3).RESULTS:Twenty-eight reports published between 1999 and 2015 were included. Most of reports (71.4 percent) were delivered by non-European countries and only 35.7 percent were classified as full reports. E-Health/m-Health technologies from several fields of medicine, mostly cardiology (21.4 percent) and psychiatry (17.9 percent) were evaluated. Policy question was clearly defined in 32.1 percent of reports, whereas ethical (21.4 percent) and legal implications (3.6 percent) were domains with the least presence. With respect to the EUnetHTA Core Model, around 70 percent of reports dealt with effectiveness and economic evaluation, more than 50 percent described health problem and around 40 percent organizational and social aspects. Remaining domains were evaluated in very few reports.CONCLUSIONS:E-Health/m-Health technologies are increasingly present in the field of HTA. Our work identified a number of elements not being included in the available reports. Several reports missed to respond to relevant assessment elements especially ethical, social and organizational implications. There is a need for strengthening and standardizing methods used for the evaluation of these technologies.

PP015 Methodological Quality Of Health Technology Assessment Reports

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 74-75
Author(s):  
Elke Hausner ◽  
Marco Knelangen ◽  
Laura Sanders ◽  
Siw Waffenschmidt
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Cochrane Reviews ◽  
Literature Source ◽  
The One

INTRODUCTION:Health Technology Assessment (HTA) reports may have a major impact on the health care provided in a country. Hence, one would assume that these reports have a high methodological quality and thus represent a potentially important source of information, for instance, for identifying primary studies for inclusion in the evidence syntheses (for example, systematic reviews, Cochrane reviews, HTA reports). The aim of the present analysis is to evaluate the methodological quality of HTA reports used as a literature source for HTA reports produced by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).METHODS:Eligible IQWiG reports were assessments of drug or non-drug interventions considering HTA reports as the literature source for primary studies and published up to October 2016. An HTA report included in the IQWIG report was considered in the analysis if it was a complete report published in English or German and indexed in the Health Technology Assessment Database (Wiley) or MEDLINE. Only the most current HTA report in an IQWiG report was considered; if more than one current HTA report was available, the one for inclusion in the analysis was randomly selected. The methodological quality of the HTA reports identified was evaluated with the AMSTAR (“Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews”) tool (1), which comprises 11 items on methodological quality (meaning a maximum achievable score of 11).RESULTS:A total of fifty eligible IQWiG reports using fourty-one eligible HTA reports as literature sources were identified. The mean AMSTAR score of these HTA reports was 5.3 (95 percent Confidence Interval, CI: 4.3, 6.2). None of the HTA reports achieved a score of 11, nineteen (46 percent) had a score between 6 and 10, and twenty-two had a score below 6.CONCLUSIONS:HTA reports included in IQWiG reports only have an average methodological quality.

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