Hostname: page-component-7f64f4797f-7vqc4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-11-04T02:23:01.013Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

EARLY AWARENESS AND ALERT SYSTEMS: AN OVERVIEW OF EUROSCAN METHODS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2012

Iñaki Gutierrez-Ibarluzea ,
Sue Simpson ,
Gaizka Benguria-Arrate  and
the Members of EuroScan International Network
Iñaki Gutierrez-Ibarluzea
Affiliation:
Osteba Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment
Sue Simpson
Affiliation:
University of Birmingham
Gaizka Benguria-Arrate
Affiliation:
Osteba Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: Early awareness and alert (EAA) activities are increasingly recognized to be an important component of the health technology assessment (HTA) process. Sharing information on methods used in this discipline is vital to ensure the development of sustainable systems. The objectives of this study is to outline the approach taken to share the different methods that members of the EuroScan International Network use by producing a methods toolkit; and to provide an overview of the similarities and differences in methods adopted by EAA systems.

Methods: A Delphi technique was used to develop the methods toolkit. Structured questionnaires were used to identify the sources used in the identification of emerging technologies and to determine the methods used by agencies to carry out EAA activities.

Results: A methods toolkit incorporating guidance on all of the stages described by EuroScan members was produced. The toolkit and an accompanying checklist presents users with different methods that can be adopted to suit their needs. The comparative analysis demonstrates that different methods are being used by EAA systems dependent on resources available and customer requirements. Differences in identification, filtration, prioritization, and assessment are apparent along with the role of collaborators in these processes.

Conclusions: The methods used by EAA systems are not homogeneous resulting in a toolkit constructed on the basis of “one size doesn't fit all.” Methods in this discipline are developing continually to accommodate changes in health systems and the HTA world. Differences between agencies and the sharing of ideas and experiences enable EAA agencies to adapt to these developments.

Keywords

Early awareness and alert systemsHorizon scanningHealth technologyIdentificationMethods toolkit

Information

Type
THEME: EARLY AWARENESS AND ALERT (EAA) METHODS AND SYSTEMS
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 28 , Issue 3 , July 2012 , pp. 301 - 307
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

1.Carlsson, P, Jørgensen, T, eds. European Workshop: Scanning the horizon for emerging health technologies. Copenhagen: DSI and SBU; 1998 (accessed March 15, 2011).Google ScholarPubMed
2.Carlsson, P, Jørgensen, T. Scanning the horizon for emerging health technologies: Conclusions from a European workshop. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 1998;14:695–706.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Carlsson, P. Health technology assessment and priority setting for health policy in Sweden. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2004;20:44–54.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Douw, K, Vondeling, H, Eskidsen, D, Simpson, S. Use of the internet in scanning the Horizon for new and emerging health technologies: A survey of agencies involved in Horizon scanning. J Med Internet Res. 2003;5:e6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Douw, K. Horizon scanning of new health technologies: Some issues in identification and selection for assessment. PhD thesis, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 2008.Google Scholar
6.ECRI Institute. AHRQ Healthcare Horizon Scanning System Protocol and Operations Manual. (Prepared by ECRI Institute under Contract No. HHSA290201000006C.) Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. December 2011. http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/393/886/AHRQ-Horizon-Scanning-System_Protocol-Operations-Manual_20111209.pdf.Google Scholar
7.Fung, M, Simpson, S, Packer, C. Identification of innovation in public health. J Public Health. 2010;33:123–130.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Goodman, CS.HTA 101: Introduction to health technology assessment. Falls Church, VA: The Lewin Group; 2004. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nichsr/hta101/hta101.pdf (accessed March 15, 2011).Google Scholar
9.Ibargoyen-Roteta, N, Gutierrez-Ibarluzea, I, Benguria-Arrate, G, Galnares-Cordero, L, Asua, J. Differences in the identification process for new and emerging health technologies: Analysis of the EuroScan database. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2009;25:367–373.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Ibargoyen-Roteta, N, Gutierrez-Ibarluzea, I, Asua, J, Benguria-Arrate, G, Galnares-Cordero, L. Scanning the horizon of obsolete technologies: Possible sources for their identification. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2009;25:249–254.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Linstone, HA, Murray, T, eds., The Delphi Method: Techniques and Applications, http://is.njit.edu/pubs/delphibook/delphibook.pdf, 2002 (accessed March 15, 2011).Google Scholar
12.Márquez Calderón, S, Castilla Alcalá, JA, Briones Pérez de la Blanca, E, Carriazo Pérez de Guzmán, A. Guideline for the introduction of new genetic Technologies in the Spanish National Health System (GEN guideline). Madrid: Plan Nacional para el SNS del MSC. Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias de Andalucía; 2006. Informes de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias. AETSA 2006/04.Google Scholar
13.Noorani, H, Husereau, D, Boudreau, R, Skidmore, B. Priority setting for health technology assessments: A systematic review of current practical approaches. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2007;23:310–315.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Rico, R, Asua, J. The prioritisation of evaluation topics of health - primary research. Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain: OSTEBA (Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment, Health Department of the Basque Government) 2012. http://www.osakidetza.euskadi.net/r85-pkoste04/en/contenidos/informacion/osteba_formacion/en_osteba/osteba_training.html. (accessed March 15, 2011).Google Scholar
15.Simpson, S, Packer, C, Carlsson, P, et al.Early identification and assessment of new and emerging health technologies: Actions, progress, and the future direction of an international collaboration - EuroScan. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2008;24:518–525.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Simpson, S, Hiller, J, Gutierrez-Ibarluzea, I, et al. A toolkit for the identification and assessment of new and emerging health technologies. 2009. EuroScan. Birmingham. http://www.euroscan.org.uk (accessed March 15, 2011).Google Scholar
17.Simpson, S, Packer, C, on behalf of EuroScan members. A comparative analysis of early awareness and alert systems. Ann Acad Med Singapore.2009;38(Suppl):s71. http://www.annals.edu.sg/PDF/38VolNo6SupplJun2009/V38N6(Suppl)Final.pdf (accessed March 15, 2011).Google Scholar
18.Smith, J, Cook, A, Packer, C. Evaluation criteria to assess the value of identification sources for horizon scanning. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2010;26:348–353.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Varela-Lema, L, Puñal-Ruiboo, J, Casal-Accion, B. New approach to identify new and emerging technologies: Validated bibliographic search strategy. HTAi 2011. Rio de Janeiro. http://www.htai2011.org/documentos/Book_abstracts_HTAi.pdf (accessed March 15, 2011).Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Gutierres-Ibarluzea supplementary material

Gutierres-Ibarluzea supplementary material

Download Gutierres-Ibarluzea supplementary material(File)
File 246.3 KB