OP305 A Systematic Approach To Include Ethical Aspects In Health Technology Assessments – Experiences And Evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (S1) ◽  
pp. 11-11
Author(s):  
Karin Willbe Ramsay
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Ethical Framework ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Ethical Aspects ◽  
Ethical Content

IntroductionThe Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services (SBU) is commissioned to assess ethical aspects in their health technology assessment (HTA) reports, in addition to effects and health economic aspects of the examined interventions. For this purpose, a framework for systematic evaluation of ethical aspects of healthcare technologies has been developed and used at SBU since 2014. With seven years of practice, we decided it was time to evaluate experiences from using the ethical framework and consider possible adjustments to improve future use.MethodsSBU reports in the time period 2014–2020 were systematically screened for ethical content. Focus group meetings with users of the framework (mainly HTA project managers) were held where opinions regarding usability and possible obstacles were collected. A revised version of the document was sent for consultation to relevant stakeholders (possible users, reviewers and recipients) in order to collect additional views.ResultsOf fifty-eight HTA reports produced in the time frame, ethical aspects were evaluated in fifty-five reports (ninety-five percent), and in most cases, the framework had been used as support. In twenty-one cases (thirty-six percent), a professional ethicist had been engaged in the work. In twelve cases (twenty-one percent), ethical aspects were presented in the main conclusions of the report. Opinions from users and reviewers revealed that the framework was generally regarded as a helpful tool, but problems regarding interpretation of specific questions were highlighted and subjected to revision.ConclusionsThe ethical framework is a valuable tool for systematic and transparent identification and discussion of ethical aspects in the HTA context, and it has been well implemented at SBU. A systematic approach to assess ethical aspects can facilitate the communication and dissemination of ethical aspects as principal results from the HTA project.

scholarly journals Digi-HTA: Health technology assessment framework for digital healthcare services

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jari Haverinen ◽  
Niina Keränen ◽  
Petra Falkenbach ◽  
Anna Maijala ◽  
Timo Kolehmainen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
The State ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Digital Healthcare ◽  
And Robotics

Health technology assessment (HTA) refers to the systematic evaluation of the properties, effects, and/or impacts of health technology. The main purpose of the assessment is to inform decisionmakers in order to better support the introduction of new health technologies. New digital healthcare solutions like mHealth, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics have brought with them a great potential to further develop healthcare services, but their introduction should follow the same criteria as that of other healthcare methods. They must provide evidence-based benefits and be safe to use, and their impacts on patients and organizations need to be clarified. The first objective of this study was to describe the state-of-the-art HTA methods for mHealth, AI, and robotics. The second objective of this study was to evaluate the domains needed in the assessment. The final aim was to develop an HTA framework for digital healthcare services to support the introduction of novel technologies into Finnish healthcare. In this study, the state-of-the-art HTA methods were evaluated using a literature review and interviews. It was noted that some good practices already existed, but the overall picture showed that further development is still needed, especially in the AI and robotics fields. With the cooperation of professionals, key aspects and domains that should be taken into account to make fast but comprehensive assessments were identified. Based on this information, we created a new framework which supports the HTA process for digital healthcare services. The framework was named Digi-HTA.

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
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Decision Making Process

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.

scholarly journals THE VULNERABLE ASPECTS OF APPLICATION OF “HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT”

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Dehnavieh ◽  
Somayeh Noori Hekmat ◽  
Sara Ghasemi ◽  
Nadia Mirshekari
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Economic Outcomes ◽  
The Other ◽  
Ethical Aspects ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
The World

Many countries in the world have tried to examine the possible methods for import and logical use of health technologies to manage their budgets on one hand and to prevent the entry of uncertain, inefficient, and insecure technologies on the other hand (1). The “health technology assessment” (HTA) is one of the dominant methods in most developed countries (2). HTA is a multidisciplinary field which studies the medical, social, and ethical aspects, as well as economic outcomes of production, diffusion, and application of health technologies (3).

Ethical perspectives on health technology assessment

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henk ten Have
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Medical Technology ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Engineering Model ◽  
Ethical Aspects ◽  
A Value ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
A Minor

This study analyses why ethical aspects play a minor role in health technology assessment (HTA) studies, even when comprehensive approaches of technology assessment are advocated. Technology is often regarded as a value-neutral tool. At the same time, bioethics is dominated by an engineering model. Ethical contributions to evaluation of medical technology should go beyond issues of application in clinical practice and focus also on the definition of problems, the demarcation of technical and nontechnical issues, and the morally problematic implications of technologies.

PP41 Toward Rules For Stakeholders’ Involvement In Regional Health Technology Assessment Units

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (S1) ◽  
pp. 81-82
Author(s):  
Mathieu Roy ◽  
Véronique Déry ◽  
Pierre Dagenais
Keyword(s):  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Steering Committee ◽  
Consensus Method ◽  
Delphi Consensus ◽  
Methodological Considerations

Introduction:Health services users must participate in health technology assessment (HTA) activities. Users, caregivers, and citizens have the practical experience of healthcare and social services. HTA outputs are more useful when values and preferences of patients, caregivers, and citizens are taken into account. Despite this, the best methods of stakeholders’ involvement, timing for doing so, selection of participants, and the type of users to recruit depending of methods and contexts remain unspecified. Herein, an involvement policy has been developed to formalize the participation of users, caregivers and citizens in the services offering of a regional HTA unit.Methods:A steering committee composed of stakeholders (i.e. user, caregiver, citizen, User Experience Service representative, manager, provincial HTA body representative, HTA unit members) was constituted to discuss user involvement in a regional HTA unit. A preliminary vision statement emerged from this committee, and included objectives and principles for users, caregivers, and citizens participation. This statement was deliberated using a Delphi consensus method. Three rounds of deliberations were needed to reach a strong consensus.Results:Four objectives and four principles that should underlie the development of an involvement policy reached consensus. Participants agreed that users, caregivers, and citizens should: i) propose principles of involvement for each HTA projects; ii) co-realize evaluations with HTA professionals; iii) contribute to evaluation processes; and, iv) be involved in some management decisions of regional HTA units. Four principles to formalize users, caregivers and citizens’ involvement in regional HTA units also emerged. These principles were about utility and feasibility of involvement as well as ethical and methodological considerations.Conclusions:Users, caregivers, and citizens must participate in the activities of regional HTA units. Each of them have different roles and can contribute to evaluation processes. Their involvement in HTA activities is warranted for co-producing better evaluation more adapted to users’ needs in healthcare and social services.

HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT OF THREE SCREENING METHODS IN SWITZERLAND

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 389-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Faisst ◽  
Julian Schilling ◽  
Pedro Koch
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Mammography Screening ◽  
Specific Antigen ◽  
Normal Pregnancy ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Swiss Health

Objective: To describe the level of health technology assessments for three screening methods in Switzerland.Methods: Analysis of documents and expert opinions on mammography screening, ultrasound examinations during normal pregnancy, and screening for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) with a focus on services provided, recommendations, formal regulations, national papers, projects, and formal assessments.Results: Preventive services are explicitly recommended by the Swiss federal law on health insurance. Two routine ultrasound examinations during normal pregnancy as well as PSA analysis for men over 40 years of age on medical indication are covered by basic health insurance. Mammography screening every 2 years has been covered since 1997 for women over 50 years. A systematic screening program for mammography exists in the western part of Switzerland, and a nationwide program is planned. However, a national program may not come into being until a quality assurance program for evaluation is established, and a nationwide fee for reimbursement—to include all costs of such a program—is accepted by providers and insurers.Conclusion: According to the Swiss health insurance law, the effectiveness of mammography screening and ultrasound examinations during normal pregnancy have to be proven. Systematic evaluation of these screening methods is in preparation. PSA is not part of current evaluation. It can be concluded that health technology assessment in Switzerland is now required by law for several medical services. However, limited financial and personnel resources as well as the lack of disease registers may hamper progress in the near future.

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