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SURGEONS’ VIEWS OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT IN AUSTRALIA: ONLINE PILOT SURVEY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 June 2013

Gisselle Gallego ,
Kees van Gool ,
Robert Casey  and
Guy Maddern
Gisselle Gallego
Affiliation:
Centre for Health Research, School of Medicine, University of Western SydneyFaculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney
Kees van Gool
Affiliation:
Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation (CHERE), University Technology Sydney
Robert Casey
Affiliation:
Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation (CHERE), University Technology Sydney
Guy Maddern
Affiliation:
Discipline of Surgery, University of Adelaide, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
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Abstract

Introduction: Many governments have introduced health technology assessment (HTA) as an important tool to manage the uptake and use of health-related technologies efficiently. Although surgeons play a central role in the uptake and diffusion of new technologies, little is known about their opinion and understanding of the HTA role and process.

Methods: A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted using an online questionnaire which was distributed to Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons over a 4-week period. Information was sought about knowledge and views of the HTA process. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, frequencies, and proportions were calculated.

Results: Sixty-two surgeons completed the survey; of these, 55 percent reported their primary work place as a public hospital. Twenty-four percent of the participants reported that they had never heard of the HTA agency and 60 percent reported that surgical procedures are most likely to be introduced in the Australian healthcare system at the public hospital level (which is beyond the HTA's scope and dealt with at a state level). However, 61 percent considered that decisions about funding and adoption of new technologies should take place at the national level.

Conclusions: This survey provides some evidence that many surgeons remain unaware of the federal government's HTA process but still value evidence-based information. In order for HTA to be an effective aid to rational adoption of health-related technologies, there is a need for an evidence-based approach that is integrated and is accepted and understood by the medical professions.

Keywords

SurgeonsHealth technology assessmentAustraliaSurgical procedures
Type
METHODS
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , July 2013 , pp. 309 - 314
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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