PP142 A Mental Health Hospital-based Health Technology Assessment In Quebec, Canada: Structure And Products

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 137-138
Author(s):  
Ionela Gheorghiu ◽  
Alain Lesage ◽  
Adam Mongodin ◽  
Marlène Galdin

INTRODUCTION:Our Hospital-based Health Technology Assessment unit (HB-HTA) was founded in 2011 following the nomination of Louis-H. Lafontaine hospital as the Montreal University Mental Health Institute (IUSMM). From the beginning, the HB-HTA has been supporting and advising the Chief Executive Officer of IUSMM in the decision-making process concerning the implementation of new technologies and practices in mental health. Since 2015, the HB-HTA is part of the East of Montreal Regional Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l’Île de Montréal), continuing to support decisions in mental health. Currently, the HB-HTA unit is nested in the Quality, Performance and Ethics department.METHODS:Formed by a coordinator, a scientific advisor and a manager, the HB-HTA team plans, organizes and sets up the evaluation activities. The unit benefits from the support of a Steering Committee which consists of representatives of clinical, administrative and research directions, as well as of health users and families. This committee determine the strategic orientation of the HB-HTA unit, prioritize the projects, approves the evaluation products and gives indications on the knowledge transfer process.RESULTS:To answer the decision questions, our HB-HTA unit employs two types of products: evaluation reports and informative notes. Based on an exhaustive literature search and consultations with stakeholders, the evaluation reports offer recommendations to support the decision-making process. The informative notes are rapid responses based on a partial literature search. The nature of this type of analysis does not allow the formulation of recommendations, however, a conclusion of the consulted literature is offered.CONCLUSIONS:Based on the work of our HB-HTA unit, some important decisions were made by the IUSMM. As an example, the systematic screening of psychiatric patients for drug and alcohol was not favored by our institution; rather than this, priority was given to staff training, in order to better identify and treat psychiatric patients with substance abuse comorbidity.

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 288-292
Author(s):  
Christopher McCabe ◽  
Jeff Round

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) has always sought to incorporate the evidence of all patients affected in the decision-making process. While health system budgets could increase to cover costs of new technologies, the relevant patients are those benefitting from access to the technology being appraised. More recently, with health system budgets effectively fixed, costs of new technologies are covered by displacing other, currently funded care. This reallocation means the patients affected by the decision include those whose healthcare is displaced. These patients are typically unidentified, however, and so HTA in this instance involves choosing between identified and unidentified patients. We argue that HTA should take account of identifiability bias in this decision-making, to avoid promoting inequitable and inefficient access to healthcare.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (S1) ◽  
pp. 56-57
Author(s):  
Mírian Cohen ◽  
Ana Flávia Lima ◽  
Sandro Miguel ◽  
Marina Aziz ◽  
Ricardo Bertoglio Cardoso ◽  
...  

IntroductionSince 2007, 23 Núcleos de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde or hospital-based health technology assessment (HB-HTA) units have been established in teaching hospitals across Brazil. These units aim to promote the development of health technology assessment in hospitals, assisting the decision-making process for implementing new technologies and evaluating and promoting the rational use of widespread technologies.MethodsAn online questionnaire was sent by e-mail to all HB-HTA units registered in the Brazilian Network for Evaluation of Health Technologies. Information was acquired to comprehensively assess the activity of the units.ResultsAll 23 HB-HTA units answered the questionnaire. Of these, 65 percent had a technology prioritization process. The technologies assessed included drug therapies (73%), equipment (64%), medical devices (64%), clinical protocols (46%), and emerging technologies (27%). The dimensions of health technology assessment (HTA) evaluated by these organizations were: efficacy (76%); effectiveness (67%); safety (67%); costs (52%); cost effectiveness or cost utility (52%); and budget impact (43%). The hospital departments that required more HTA studies were: cardiology (50%); infectious diseases (45%); hospital management (45%); oncology (40%); surgery (40%); and endocrinology (20%). HTA studies supported: incorporation of new technologies (81%); protocol or guideline development (57%); new indications for already approved technologies (38%); and withdrawal of obsolete technologies (29%). Half of the institutions also conducted educational or training activities. The main difficulties reported were a lack of trained professionals (78%), funding (70%), and material resources (48%).ConclusionsFor low- and middle-income countries, the process of implementing HB-HTA units remains a challenge. Even though human resources and funding are scarce, HB-HTA units continue to develop. Given their importance in the decision-making process, it is imperative that every effort is made to ensure their activities continue.


2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (S1) ◽  
pp. 26-26
Author(s):  
Bing Guo ◽  
Carmen Moga

Introduction:Although individual patient data meta-analysis (IPD MA) is considered the gold standard of systematic reviews (SRs), a recent International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment survey indicates that IPD MA is not frequently included in a health technology assessment (HTA), or conducted by HTA researchers. The objective of this presentation is to describe our first experience with including an IPD MA in a HTA report, discuss the added value for an evidence-based decision-making process, and advocate for expanding work in this field.Methods:An overview of SRs on endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke included one IPD MA and six study-level SRs/MAs. Methodological quality was appraised by two reviewers independently using the tool recommended by the Cochrane IPD MA working group for the IPD MA, and the AMSTAR (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews) for the study-level reviews. Pooled results from subgroup analyses based on access to primary patient data were compared to those reported in SRs that conducted subgroup analyses based on the published data to identify patients or clinical factors that would impact clinical outcomes.Results:The overall findings were similar between the IPD MA and other SRs/MAs. However, when compared to aggregated data used in study-level SRs/MAs, subgroup analyses based on patient data allowed for adjustment of confounders, multiple categories within a subgroup, standardization of outcomes across trials, and detailed data checking. Larger sample sizes of each pre-defined subgroup permitted for more precise estimates of treatment effects. A number of methodological issues in the IPD MA were identified; particularly, no assessment of risk of bias of included trials was conducted.Conclusions:Access to original patient data is demanding and conducting IPD MA requires extensive resources. The advantages of having an improved quality analysis, an appropriate quantification of the effects in the analyzed subgroups, and precision of results may justify additional efforts, and may increase confidence in the decision-making process.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Wortley ◽  
Allison Tong ◽  
Kirsten Howard

Objectives The aim of the present study was to describe community views and perspectives on public engagement processes in Australian health technology assessment (HTA) decision making. Methods Six focus groups were held in Sydney (NSW, Australia) as part of a broad program of work on public engagement and HTA. Eligible participants were aged ≥18 years and spoke English. Participants were asked about their views and perspectives of public engagement in the HTA decision-making process, with responses analysed using a public participation framework. Results Fifty-eight participants aged 19–71 years attended the focus groups. Responses from the public indicated that they wanted public engagement in HTA to include a diversity of individuals, be independent and transparent, involve individuals early in the process and ensure that public input is meaningful and useful to the process. This was consistent with the public participation framework. Perceived shortcomings of the current public engagement process were also identified, namely the lack of awareness of the HTA system in the general population and the need to acknowledge the role different groups of stakeholders or ‘publics’ can have in the process. Conclusions The public do see a role for themselves in the HTA decision-making process. This is distinct to the involvement of patients and carers. It is important that any future public engagement strategy in this field distinguishes between stakeholder groups and outline approaches that will involve members of the public in the decision-making process, especially if public expectations of involvement in healthcare decision-making continue to increase. What is known about this topic? The views and perspectives of patients and consumers are important in the HTA decision-making process. There is a move to involve the broader community, particularly as decisions become increasingly complex and resources more scarce. What does this paper add? It not been known to what extent, or at what points, the community would like to be engaged with the HTA decision-making process. The present study adds to the evidence base on this topic by identifying features of engagement that may be important in determining the extent of wider public involvement. It is clear that the community expects the system to be transparent, for patients to be involved early in specific processes and the wider community to be able to contribute to the broader vision of the healthcare system. What are the implications for practitioners? A formalised strategy is needed to include the public voice into health technology decisions. With the current level of reform in the healthcare sector and the focus on creating a sustainable healthcare system, there is a real opportunity to implement an approach that not only informs patients and the community of the challenges, but includes and incorporates their views into these decisions. This will assist in developing and adapting policy that is relevant and meets the needs of the population.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  

Abstract The timeliness of the release of results is one of the most critical issue regarding Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and its potential to support decision-making. This matter may reflect the deep conflict between HTA doers and users. HTA is a form of evidence-based research, expected to timely inform decision-making at several levels - from health policy (macro) to hospital and clinical management (meso and micro) - ensuring accuracy and assessment of both short- and long-term effects of a health technology. HTA purpose therefore is to respond to real world needs, while not overlook a correct methodology. Fast developing health technologies have rapidly spread over the past decades, hence increasing demand for timely assessment aimed at their prompt implementation and management, especially at meso and micro decisional levels. Furthermore, the need for quick answers is emphasized by the pressures placed on policy-makers when a health technology is publicly promoted or contested. Furthermore, an ill-timed assessment can lead to several consequences, among which possible inequalities in access to healthcare. In order to address the challenge of timeliness, organizations involved in HTA should set up models and tools to deliver timely information. The aim of this workshop is to point out the timeliness of HTA as crucial in the decision-making process as a mismanagement of HTA system could be an obstacle to an appropriate healthcare policy. Else more, the workshop would like to critically present examples where research was on time or too late to be included in the decision-making process and elaborate on possible models to successfully deal with timeliness of HTA deliverables in particular at hospital level. Key messages The timeframe of HTA should ensure the accuracy of information and of methodological and legal steps, without forgetting the timeliness of delivery. Models and instruments should be implemented in order to guarantee the timeliness of HTA reports.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Andellini ◽  
Francesco Faggiano ◽  
Sergio Giuseppe Picardo ◽  
Giuseppina Testa ◽  
Daniela Perrotta ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundThe technological complexity and heterogeneity of intensive care ventilator models currently available on the market together with the heterogeneity in pediatric patients (0 to 18 years old), make the choice of the best machine for pediatric healthcare setting crucial.This paper is aimed at addressing all the critical aspects linked to the implementation of intensive care ventilators in a pediatric setting, highlighting the most relevant technical features and describing the methodology to conduct health technology assessment (HTA) for supporting the decision-making process.Four ventilators models were included in the assessment process. A decision-making support tool (DoHTA method) based on Analytic Hierarchy Process, was applied. 28 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were identified, defining the safety, clinical effectiveness, organizational, technical, and economic aspects. The Performance scores of each ventilator have been measured with respect to KPIs integrated with the total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis, leading to a final rank of the four possible technological solutions. ResultsThe final technologies’ performance scores reflected a deliver valued, contextualized, and shared outputs, detecting the most performant technological solution for the specific hospital context. HTA results had informed and supported the pediatric hospital decision-making process. ConclusionsThis study, identifying and discussing the pros and cons of innovative features of ventilators and all the evaluation criteria and aspects to be taken into account during the evaluation process, can be considered as a valuable proof of evidence as well as a reliable and transferable method for conducting a decision making process in a hospital context.


Author(s):  
Kyung-Bok Son ◽  
Sylvia Park ◽  
Myoungsoon You

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate manufacturers’ perceptions of the decision-making process for new drug reimbursement and to formulate implications in operating a health technology assessment system. In 2019, we conducted a questionnaire survey and a semistructured group interview for domestic (n = 6) and foreign manufacturers (n = 9) who had vast experience in introducing new medicines into the market through a health technology assessment. Representatives of manufacturers indicated that disease severity, budget impact, existence of alternative treatment, and health-related quality of life were relevant criteria when assessing reimbursement decisions. Compared with domestic manufacturers, foreign manufacturers were risk takers when making reimbursement decisions in terms of adopting a new drug and managing pharmaceutical expenditure. However, foreign manufacturers were risk-averse when evaluating new drugs with uncertainties based on real-world data such as clinical effectiveness. Based on manufacturers’ perceptions of the decision-making process for new drug reimbursement, there is room for improvement in health technology assessment systems. Explaining the underlying reasons behind their decisions, unbiased participation by various stakeholders and their embedded roles in the decision-making process need to be emphasized. However, the measures suggested in this study should be introduced with cautions. The process of health technology assessment might be a target for those who undermine the system in pursuit of their private interests.


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