Abstract
The World Health Organization (WHO) resolution calling on Member States to work towards achieving universal health coverage (UHC) has increased the need for prioritizing health spending. Such need will soon accelerate as low- and middle-income countries transition from external aid. Countries will have to make difficult decisions on how best to integrate and finance previously donor-funded technologies and health services into their UHC packages in ways that are equitable, and operationally and financially sustainable. The International Decision Support Initiative (iDSI) is a global network of health, policy and economic expertise which supports countries in making better decisions about how best and how much to spend public money on healthcare. iDSI core partners include Center For Global Development, China National Health Development Research Center, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program, Thailand / National Health Foundation, Imperial College London, Kenya Medical Research Institute, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. In May 2019, iDSI convened a roundtable entitled Why strengthening health systems to make better decisions is a Best Buy. The event brought together members of iDSI, development partners and other organizations working in the areas of evidence-informed priority-setting, resource allocation and purchasing. The roundtable participants identified key challenges and activities that could be undertaken by the broader health technology assessment (HTA) community to further country-led capacity building, as well to foster deeper collaboration between the community itself. HTA is a tool which can assist governments and development partners with evaluating alternative investment options in a defensible and accountable fashion. The definition and scope of HTA, and what it can achieve and support, can be presented more clearly and cohesively to stakeholders. Organizations engaging in HTA must develop deeper collaboration, and integrate existing collaborations, to ensure progress in developing HTA institutionalization globally is well organized and sustainable.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) resolution calling on Member States to work towards achieving universal health coverage (UHC) has increased the need for prioritizing health spending[1]
Organizations engaging in Health technology assessment (HTA) must develop deeper collaboration, and integrate existing collaborations, to ensure progress in developing HTA institutionalization globally is well organized and sustainable
Countries will have to make difficult decisions on how best to integrate and finance previously donorfunded technologies and health services into their UHC packages, including identifying and balancing trade-offs between competing health priorities to ensure that high-quality, affordable access to healthcare is provided to the population in ways that are equitable and operationally and financially sustainable
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) resolution calling on Member States to work towards achieving universal health coverage (UHC) has increased the need for prioritizing health spending[1]. In May 2019, iDSI convened a roundtable[1] discussion in London, UK, entitled Why strengthening health systems to make better decisions is a Best Buy. The event brought together members of the iDSI network, development partners and other organizations working in the areas of evidence-informed priority-setting, resource allocation and purchasing. Confusion over definitions and terms A notable challenge to the institutionalization of priority setting and HTA identified in the roundtable discussion was a frequent lack of understanding of the vocabulary of HTA and its method among stakeholders in healthcare decision-making processes. Participants of the roundtable noted that conceptualising priority-setting and HTA and explaining such concepts to the wider global health community must go beyond agreeing on the definition It should include outlining what is included in the scope of HTA, as well as the priority setting process, which may include terms of engagement with stakeholders and the identification of topics for evidence review. It can at its best be a bridge to join professional technical assessment and professional policy decision-making in a fully integrated whole
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