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About Health Technology
Assessment (HTA)
Health systems throughout the world,
whether in developed or developing countries, are struggling with
the challenge of how to manage health-care delivery in conditions
of resource constraint. Healthcare policy, practice and decisions
are needed to maximize the positive impact of health-care
interventions on population health,
while maximizing the value from the cost of providing the
interventions.
HTA is the systematic evaluation of
properties, effects, and/or impacts of health technology. Its main
purpose is to inform technology-related policy-making in health
care, and thus improve the uptake of cost-effective new
technologies and prevent the uptake of technologies that are of
doubtful value for the health system. It is one of three
complementary functions to ensure the appropriate introduction and
use of health technology. The other two components are regulation,
which is concerned with safety and efficacy, and assessment of all
significant intended as well as unintended consequences of
technology use; and management, which is concerned with the
procurement and maintenance of the technology during its
life-cycle. The performance of health systems is strengthened when
the linkages and exchange among these elements are clearly
differentiated but mutually supportive.
WHO has commissioned a document for
the advancement of HTA in developing and emerging counries which
is available at :
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/
9789241501361_eng.pdf
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