Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T04:26:00.741Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Horizon scanning of new and emerging medical technology in Australia: Its relevance to Medical Services Advisory Committee health technology assessments and public funding

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2009

Sue P. O'Malley  and
Ernest Jordan
Sue P. O'Malley
Affiliation:
Medical Intelligence and Macquarie University
Ernest Jordan
Affiliation:
Macquarie University
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: In 1998, a formal process using full health technology assessments (HTAs) was implemented to determine the suitability for public subsidy of new and emerging medical technologies in the Australian private healthcare sector. This process is overseen by the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC). In 2004, horizon scanning was introduced in Australia with the stated objective of identifying new and emerging medical technologies into the public healthcare sector, with consideration to the publicly subsidized private healthcare sector. How well horizon scanning works in identifying new and emerging technologies suitable for government subsidized funding in the private healthcare sector is examined in this study.

Methods: A descriptive evaluation of the impact of horizon scanning as an early alert and awareness system identifying new and emerging technologies before these technologies are submitted to MSAC for a full HTA. All MSAC HTAs commenced after the introduction of horizon scanning in 2004 were cross-checked with the list of Prioritizing Summaries or Horizon Scanning Reports to determine whether a prior Prioritizing Summary or Horizon Scanning Report had been carried out.

Results: Of the forty-three technologies that were the subject of a full MSAC HTAs in the time period examined, only eleven had been the subject of either a Prioritizing Summary or Horizon Scanning Report. As a result of a full MSAC HTA, twelve of the technologies that were not the subject of a Prioritizing Summary or Horizon Scanning Report were given positive recommendations for public funding.

Conclusions: Horizon scanning was set up to scan the introduction of new and emerging medical technologies into the public healthcare sector, with consideration to the publicly subsidized private healthcare sector. Based on the number of new and emerging technologies that have been the subject of a full MSAC HTA without first being subjected to either a Prioritizing Summary or Horizon Scanning Report, horizon scanning in Australia does not function as an “early alert and awareness system” for funding in the publicly subsidized private healthcare sector in Australia.

Keywords

Horizon scanningMSACHTAAustraliaFunding
Type
General Essays
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , July 2009 , pp. 374 - 382
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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.)

References

REFERENCES

1. ANZHSN Bulletin Issue 6, April 2008. http://www.scanning.horizon.gov.au/internet/horizon/publishing.nsf/Contents/5190FFIEEFB296C4CA2575AD008$File/6.%20ANZHSH%20Bulletin%April%2008.pdf. (accessed May 17, 2008).Google Scholar
2. Australia and New Zealand Horizon Scanning Network—About Horizon Scanning. http://www.horizonscanning.gov.au/internet/horizon/publishing.nsf/Content/process-2 (accessed August 24, 2007).Google Scholar
3. Australia and New Zealand Horizon Scanning Network—About Horizon Scanning—What is Horizon Scanning? http://www.health.gov.au/internet/horizon/publishing.nsf/Content/process-2#what (accessed June 9, 2008).Google Scholar
4. Australia and New Zealand Horizon Scanning Network. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/horizon/publishing.nsf/Content/home-2 (accessed June 24, 2007).Google Scholar
5. Australia and New Zealand Horizon Scanning Network (ANZHSN) Home Page. http://www.horizonscanning.gov.au/ (accessed May 2008).Google Scholar
6. Douw, K, Vondeling, H. Selection of new health technologies for assessment aimed at informing decision making: A survey among horizon scanning systems. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2006;22:177–183CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Euroscan. http://www.euroscan.bham.ac.uk/current.htm (accessed November 26, 2007).Google Scholar
8. HealthPACT Terms of Reference. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/horizon/publishing.nsf/Content/healthpact-2 (accessed May 17, 2008).Google Scholar
9. Impacts of Advances in Medical Technology in Australia—media Release. http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/study/medicaltechnology/docs/finalreport/mediarelease (accessed December 28, 2008).Google Scholar
10. Medical Services Advisory Committee Funding for new medical technologies and procedures: application and assessment guidelines. September 2005. p 7. http://www.msac.gov.au/internet/msac/publishing.nsf/Content/C1F4569D79E542FACA257161001F1389/$File/guidelines.pdf (accessed May 18, 2008).Google Scholar
11. Medical Services Advisory Committee Home Page. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/msac/publishing.nsf/content/home-1 (accessed May 2008).Google Scholar
12. MSAC Medical Services Advisory Committee Performance Report 2003–05. Page 23. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/msac/publishing.nsf/Content/FEICDE6IDD9B9419CA2575AD0082FD$File/msacrep0305.pdf. (accessed August 24, 2007).Google Scholar
13. Murphy, K, Packer, C, Stevens, A, Simpson, S. Effective early warning systems for new and emerging health technologies: Developing an evaluation framework and an assessment of current systems. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2007;23:324–330.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14. O'Malley, SP. The Australian experiment: the use of evidence based medicine for the reimbursement of surgical and diagnostic procedures (1998–2004). Aust New Zealand Health Policy. 2006;3:3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Private Health Insurance Administration Council statistics. http://www.phiac.gov.au/statistics/membershipcoverage/table1.htm (accessed December 27, 2008).Google Scholar
16. Productivity Commission Research Report: Impacts of Advances in Medical Technology in Australia—31 August 2005. Key Points. Page XXVI. http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/17193/medicaltechnology.pdf (accessed December 28, 2008).Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

O'Malley Supplementary Material

Diagram.doc

Download O'Malley Supplementary Material(File)
File 27.6 KB