Health Technology Assessment in technological innovation processes; implementation of a management model for hospital technological governance at the Azienda Ospedaliera SS. Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo in Alessandria

Abstract

Objectives. Definition of a hospital-based technology governance model (hospital-based Health Technology Assessment (HTA)), involving health professionals at different organizational levels; applying HTA as a rational support tool at corporate organizational level for decisions concerning acquisitions, disposal, monitoring of technologies; implementation of the HTA methodology to create an organizational context favorable to the transfer of scientific evidence in clinical practice and managerial decision-making processes. Methods. At the end of 2014, the AO Hospital of Alessandria established a Technology Assessment Unit to analyze the requests for the supply of medical and non-medical equipment, involved in healthcare pathway processes. A training course has started, aimed at creating specific skills, to support the clinician requesting the adoption of a new technology. Results. Over the last 5 years, testing the form deployment has concerned: 56 requests examined by NVT; 226 cases concerning gathering information using the forms; 24 IT instances managed by ICT; 62 requests examined through facilitator support. Conclusions: To implement at micro level, the HTA methodology within the clinical-organizational structure governance, including decisions concerning clinical practice protocols, auditing and quality monitoring of healthcare performance.