The mini-health technology assessment (HTA) tool is valuable in assessing the quality of decisions regarding health technology management in South African public hospitals. The tool demonstrates the needs for improved decision-making and for developing an appropriate, customised instrument to support decision makers regarding medical device management. Health technology in South Africa has c...

BACKGROUND To provide an overview of the development of health technology assessment (HTA) in Iran since 2007, and to facilitate further development of HTA and its integration into policy making. METHODS Data of this study were collected through key documents (e.g. literature, laws, and other official documentation) and analyzed by experts of opinion in form of qualitative methods. RESULTS ...

Similar to other health policy initiatives, there is a growing movement to involve consumers in decisions affecting their treatment options. Access to treatments can be impacted by decisions made during a health technology assessment (HTA), i.e., the rigorous assessment of medical interventions such as drugs, vaccines, devices, materials, medical and surgical procedures and systems. The purpose...

Technology is generally defined as "science or knowledge applied to a definite purpose." Technology assessment has been defined as a form of policy research that examines short- and long-term consequences (for example, societal, economic, ethical, legal) of the application of technology. The goal of technology assessment was said to be to provide policy makers with information on policy alterna...

BACKGROUND Health systems face rising patient expectations and economic pressures; decision makers seek to enhance efficiency to improve access to appropriate care. There is international interest in the role of HTA to support decisions to optimize use of established technologies, particularly in "disinvesting" from low-benefit uses. METHODS This study summarizes main points from an HTAi Poli...

Recommendations already exist on how to write a structured abstract for the INAHTA Database (http://agatha.york.ac.uk/htahp.htm). The abstract must be written in English. In 392 INTL. J. OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT IN HEALTH CARE 18:2, 2002 Best practice in undertaking and reporting HTA Table 15. Data To Be Included in an English Structured Abstract Title: first title in English, then original tit...

BACKGROUND Achieving sustainable universal health coverage depends partly on fair priority-setting processes that ensure countries spend scarce resources wisely. While general health economics capacity-strengthening initiatives exist in Africa, less attention has been paid to developing the capacity of individuals, institutions and networks to apply economic evaluation in support of health tech...

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY In Canada, the CADTH Common Drug Review helps ensure that scarce health care resources are used to fund the most effective drugs. Clinicians, researchers, payers, and patients all have important, but potentially different, ideas on what should be considered, to determine a drug's value. Since 2010, CADTH has invited patient groups to contribute their perspectives to the C...

BACKGROUND Finding measures to enhance the dissemination and implementation of their recommendations has become part of most health technology assessment (HTA) bodies' preoccupations. The Quebec government HTA organization in Canada observed that some of its projects relied on innovative practices in knowledge production and dissemination. A research was commissioned in order to identify what c...

Since the 1990s, health policy makers in Finland have been supportive of evidence-based medicine and approaches to implement its results. The Finnish Office for Health Technology Assessment (Finohta) has grown from a small start in 1995 to a medium-sized health technology assessment (HTA) agency, with special responsibility in providing assessments to underpin national policies in screening. Ex...