Pre-conference: Multidimensional Evaluation of Health Technologies: A Complementary Approach with HTA and HIA (HTIA) 

Tuesday 11 November, 09:00 – 12:30 Helsinki time
(ending with network lunch at 12:30)

Organised by

EUPHA Health technology assessment section, EUPHA Health impact assessment section 

Background

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) has been defined as “a multidisciplinary process that uses explicit methods to determine the value of a health technology […] to inform decision-making in order to promote an equitable, efficient, and high-quality health system” In recent times, however, HTA has expanded its scope beyond healthcare systems, increasingly focusing on improving the health and well-being of the general population. This is demonstrated by the growing interest in environmental impacts of health technologies. Furthermore, an HTA could assess the use of green hospital infrastructures, which incorporates sustainable building materials, energy-efficient systems, and improved indoor air quality technologies. These innovations aim to create healthier physical environments for patients and staff, reducing exposure to harmful pollutants and enhancing overall well-being. HTA is also meant to consider spillovers in the assessment of economic impacts. Spillovers can be defined as impacts from an intervention on parties or entities other than the user. This calls on the importance of considering  consequences  for others. Other evaluative approaches, such as the Health Impact Assessment (HIA), could be relevant in responding to this need. In fact, HIA addresses how the different determinants could influence health outcomes through standardized methods, such as the assessment matrix, that makes it possible to map the range, nature and magnitude of potential, also unintended, impacts of a decision in the view of also finding mitigation strategies.

Based on that, HTA and HIA can be considered complementary tools that, when integrated, can provide a comprehensive framework for decision-making in public health and healthcare systems. While HTA focuses on evaluating the value of specific health technologies, HIA assesses the broader health implications of policies, programs, or projects, including those not directly related to healthcare.

By combining these approaches, decision-makers can address both the direct and indirect impacts of health technologies on populations and their environments. For example, an HTA evaluating a new telemedicine platform could incorporate HIA principles to assess its potential effects on health equity, access to care in underserved areas, and environmental factors such as reduced carbon emissions from decreased travel.

This preconference provides participants with a better understanding of HTA and HIA rationale, aims and methods and learn how HTA could benefit from HIA to have a wider and more complete evaluation of the potential impact of health technologies on population health and health care systems. Participants will have the possibility to engage in case studies that would be aimed at pursuing this objective.

Programme

9:00 - 9:10        Welcome by Piedad Martín-Olmedo, President EUPHA-HIA, Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, Spain, and Chiara de Waure, President EUPHA-HTA, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Italy

9:10 - 9:40        Introduction on HTA by Chiara de Waure

9:40 - 10:10      Introduction on HIA by Piedad Martín-Olmedo

10:10 - 10:30    Setting up the working groups and mandate description (Ilaria Valentini, Floriana D’Ambrosio)

10:30 - 11:00    Coffee break

11:00 - 11:45    Working groups (Ilaria Valentini, Floriana D’Ambrosio)

11:45- 12:15     Group discussion (rapporteurs from each working group)

12:15 - 12:30    Wrap-up by Piedad Martín-Olmedo and Chiara de Waure

12:30 - 13:30    Lunch

Registration

The registration fee is EUR 80. Networking lunch and refreshments are included.