Objective: The objective was to develop an economic prioritization
model to assist those involved in the selection and prioritization of health
technology assessment topics and commissioning of HTA projects.Methods: The model used decision analytic techniques to estimate
the expected costs and benefits of the health care interventions that were the
focus of the HTA question(s) considered by the NHS Health Technology
Assessment Programme in England. Initial estimation of the value for money of
HTA was conducted for several topics considered in 1997 and 1998.Results: The results indicate that, using information routinely
available in the literature and from the vignettes, it was not possible to
estimate the absolute value of HTA with any certainty for this stage of the
prioritization process. Overall, the results were uncertain for 65% of the HTA
questions or topics analyzed. The relative costs of the interventions or
technologies compared to existing costs of care and likely levels of
utilization were critical factors in most of the analyses. The probability
that the technology was effective with the HTA and the impact of the HTA on
utilization rates were also key determinants of expected costs and benefits.Conclusions: The main conclusion was that it is feasible to
conduct ex ante assessments of the value for money of HTA for
specific topics. However, substantial work is required to ensure that the
methods used are valid, reliable, consistent, and an efficient use of valuable
research time.
An assessment of the impact of the NHS Health Technology Assessment Programme
