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A Framework for Aiding the Translation of Scientific Evidence into Policy: The Experience of a Hospital-Based Technology Assessment Unit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2019

Nisha D. Almeida*
Affiliation:
Technology Assessment Unit, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
Lorraine Mines
Affiliation:
Technology Assessment Unit, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
Ioana Nicolau
Affiliation:
Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alison Sinclair
Affiliation:
Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH)
David Felipe Forero
Affiliation:
Technology Assessment Unit, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
James M. Brophy
Affiliation:
Technology Assessment Unit, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
Nancy Mayo
Affiliation:
Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
Nandini Dendukuri
Affiliation:
Technology Assessment Unit, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
*
Author for correspondence: Nisha D. Almeida, E-mail: nisha.almeida@mail.mcgill.ca

Abstract

Objectives

Very few practical frameworks exist to guide the formulation of recommendations at hospital-based health technology assessment (HTA) units. The objectives of our study were: (i) to identify decision criteria specific to the context of hospital-based health technologies and interventions, (ii) to estimate the extent to which the expert community agrees on the importance of the identified criteria, (iii) to incorporate the identified criteria into a decision-aid tool, and (iv) to illustrate the application of a prototype decision-aid tool.

Methods

Relevant decision criteria were identified using existing frameworks for HTA recommendations, our past experience, a literature search, and feedback from a survey of diverse stakeholders.

Results

Based on the survey results, twenty-three decision criteria were incorporated into the final framework. We defined an approach that eschewed a scoring system, but instead relied on a visual means for arriving at a final recommendation, by juxtaposing the importance rating for each criterion against the results of the health technology assessment. For a technology to be approved, a majority of criteria considered important should also have received favorable findings.

Conclusions

We created a simple and practical decision-aid tool that incorporates all decision criteria relevant to a hospital-based HTA unit. With its ease of use and accessibility, our tool renders the subjective decision-making process more structured and transparent.

Type
Method
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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Footnotes

J.M.B and N.D. receive salary support from the FRQS (Fonds de recherche du Quebec - Sante), a nonprofit provincial funding agency.

References

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