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Additional file 1.

Supplemental material, Health_informatics_journal-Appendix_Table_2_framework for Identification of the essential components of quality in the data collection process for public health information systems by Hong Chen, Ping Yu, David Hailey and Tingru Cui in Health Informatics Journal

In recent years there has been growing recognition of the need to consider the economic evaluation of health care in Australia. Increasing resources are being devoted to assessment of the costs, risks and benefits of health technologies; and considerable progress has been made in methodological development. However, the relationship between evaluation studies and changes in policy and practice is less clear. The paper explores some of the factors influencing the effectiveness of the links between economic evaluation studies on the one hand and changes in health policy and practice on the other. It is emphasised that mechanisms for encouraging a rational diffusion and use of health technology (and by implication economic evaluation) need to make an impact on (at least) two parallel decision making processes. The first concerns planning decisions about which facilities to provide and which programs or therapies to reimburse or fund, while the second is concerned with clinical decisions about the care to be given to individual patients.

This paper considers the role of economic evaluation of health care technologies in Australia and its relationship to policy and program decisions. Economid evaluation in relation to policy has been best developed in relation to drug subsidy decisions under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. A key to this successful use of economic analysis has been the availability of a well developed framework for evaluation, linked to legislative provisions and clearly defined responsibilities withihn a government program. This application of cost-effectiveness analysis to decisions taken by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee is still evolving. At this stage, those responsible for the economic evaluations are increasingly having to confront the issue of the limits of such analysis in the practical policy formulation process. Considerations other than economic analysis may have major influence on some decisions. Several case studies are presented to illustrate these points. Australian experience with evaluation of non-pharmaceutical health technologies is mixed. Health technology assessment has been undertaken in Australia for a number os years, providing advice to policy areas, administrators and users of technologies. In a number of assessments, resource allocation was considered in some detail, although this did not always include economic analysis. Generally these assessments have been framed as advisory documents providing input to policy and program areas that have a more diffuse legislative and administrative framework than that applying to evaluation of drug listing applications under the Pharmaceuticla Benefits Scheme. Case studies are presented on the assessment of organ transplantation programs, breast and cervical cancer screening, magnetic resonance imaging, shockwave lithotripsy and related technologies and cardiac pacemakers. Some general points that emerge are the importance of factors other than economic evaluation in the decision making process, and the need to make policy and administrative decisions on the basis of limited data. It seems likely that policy on health technologies will continue to be influenced by a range of technical, political and societal factors, as well as by economic apraisal.

No abstract supplied

The intent is to develop an overview as a guide to HTA managers; this paper should be regarded as a vehicle for further discussion on these issues.

The activities of the HTA Unit in 2002–2003, as reflected in various types of reports it had produced and related dissemination activities, were reviewed in a paper published in 2004. The paper provided an overview of the effectiveness of the Unit as an aid to its future management, drawing on concepts outlined in an HTA Initiatives publication. The present paper is a follow up to the earlier work and considers some of the publications produced and related activities of the Unit during 2003–2004. The scope is narrower than in the previous report as the very rapid assessment series (QwikNotes) and educational products have not been considered. However, the review of activities has been complemented by a survey of HTA Unit clients on the influence of assessment products on decision making. A summary of the survey results has been included in the report, and some details of the survey are compared with results obtained from the HTA Unit. IP-23 Information Paper. ISBN 1-894927-09-5 (online)

You may already be an accomplished writer, but lack necessary technical skills to obtain the most fulfilling and best paid position in the writers' market. You may find that your degree in philosophy, history, or creative writing is not enough in today's technologically advanced job market. This course is designed to give the accomplished writer the technological skills needed in the writing industry.

Much of the activity and purpose of HTA is related to interaction with organizations and individuals with interests in the technologies that are being considered. The focus is often stakeholders with major financial or operational responsibilities for health technologies, including government authorities, the manufacturing industry, health care professionals and the health insurance industry. Patients and their families or carers are an obvious key group with major interests in health technologies, but HTA has rarely involved them in the assessment process. There seems a need for HTA to give more attention to the views of patients as a group that has immediate involvement with health technologies. HTA Initiative #21. ISBN 1-894927-27-3 (online)

his report has been prepared in view of the increasing interest in ultrasound technology for diagnosis of osteoporosis. Until recently, quantitative ultrasound (QUS) was mainly being used in research settings. This procedure is still not covered by provincial fee schedules. The recent FDA pre-marketing approvals of the Hologic Sahara and Lunar Achilles devices for general use in the diagnosis of osteoporosis can be expected to increase interest in the use of this technology by both consumers and healthcare providers. The issues addressed in this report include the current status of quantitative ultrasound technology, its performance and predictive value compared to x-ray based technologies, availability of machines, and issues related to its use in Canada. HTA 11.

This outline of issues in the assessment of telehealth is intended as a resource document for health care funders, providers and administrators. Health authorities and others in Alberta face decisions on the procurement and use of this information and communication technology. Such decisions should be informed by the results of assessment. This publication provides a framework for use when specific telehealth applications are under consideration. A brief outline is given of general requirements for telehealth applications, bringing together some points which will need consideration during development of a business case. There is then a discussion of a more detailed approach to assessment. This covers specification, performance measures, outcomes, summary measures, operational considerations and other issues related to telehealth applications. Telepsychiatry and teleradiology are used as examples to provide further details of assessment elements. Use of cost analysis and further details on telehealth applications and their assessment are covered in appendices. This document gives a basic framework for assessment of telehealth applications. Use of the framework will require a commitment to systematic collection of data and to comparison of telehealth applications with alternatives. In applying the approaches given to evaluation of proposals and programs, analysts will need to give further consideration to issues such as the power and experimental design of comparative studies. Involvement of persons with expertise in evaluation will be highly desirable. Input from both managers and evaluators will be needed to provide a useful synthesis of assessment data in the context of the health care system.

The present health technology assessment report has been prepared following a request by Alberta Health and Wellness for additional information on the use of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the treatment of acoustic neuroma, one of the applications considered in an earlier publication on SRS. Two main issues are considered here. The first is the place and role of SRS in management of acoustic neuroma, in comparison with neurosurgical techniques. The second is the comparative performance of the two most commonly available forms of SRS, the modified linear accelerator (LINAC) and the Gamma Knife® (GK), a device that makes use of radiation from cobalt-60 sources. Matters related to cost have not been addressed in detail. HTA Report #15.

The present report has been prepared following a request by Alberta Health in relation to referral of patients outside the province for treatment with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). There was interest by the department in the comparative effectiveness of the two main approaches to SRS (GK and LINAC) and in the current status of the technology. In addition, the opportunity has been taken to consider cost and organizational issues related to the provision of SRS services for Alberta, either within the province or through referral elsewhere. HTA 9