Article type
Year
Abstract
Objectives: The UK's Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme is a needs led research Programme which aims to assess the costs, effectiveness and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage and work in the NHS. Since 1997, Cochrane systematic reviews have been used as one of a number of sources to identify potential HTA research priorities. The objectives of this presentation are to: (1) describe the process used by the Programme, (2) highlight the number of research priorities resulting from Cochrane reviews in 1998 and 1999 and (3) discuss some of the issues raised.
Methods: A description of sources used to identify research needs in 1998 and 1999. An analysis of: (1) the number of Cochrane reviews searched, (2) the number of research implications resulting from these reviews and (3) an analysis of the number of resulting research priorities.
Results: In 1998, 1,022 suggestions for HTA were considered by the programme. 37 of these suggestions were research implications from Cochrane reviews. The success rate of research implications being prioritised was low compared to the success rate of research suggestions coming from other sources. In 1999,1,290 suggestions for HTA were considered by the programme. 263 of these suggestions were research implications from Cochrane reviews. The 1999 prioritisation cycle is in its early stages, but so far the success rate has been moderate.
Discussion: The low to moderate success rate of systematic review research implications being prioritised by the HTA Programme is perplexing. It was expected that Cochrane reviews would generate a higher success rate because of their nature: identifying specific gaps in knowledge through systematically reviewing the evidence. Possible reasons for the low success rate include: other sources providing more important and timely research questions, Cochrane reviewers not clearly focusing their research questions, or the HTA's prioritisation process not recognising the importance of these research implications.
Methods: A description of sources used to identify research needs in 1998 and 1999. An analysis of: (1) the number of Cochrane reviews searched, (2) the number of research implications resulting from these reviews and (3) an analysis of the number of resulting research priorities.
Results: In 1998, 1,022 suggestions for HTA were considered by the programme. 37 of these suggestions were research implications from Cochrane reviews. The success rate of research implications being prioritised was low compared to the success rate of research suggestions coming from other sources. In 1999,1,290 suggestions for HTA were considered by the programme. 263 of these suggestions were research implications from Cochrane reviews. The 1999 prioritisation cycle is in its early stages, but so far the success rate has been moderate.
Discussion: The low to moderate success rate of systematic review research implications being prioritised by the HTA Programme is perplexing. It was expected that Cochrane reviews would generate a higher success rate because of their nature: identifying specific gaps in knowledge through systematically reviewing the evidence. Possible reasons for the low success rate include: other sources providing more important and timely research questions, Cochrane reviewers not clearly focusing their research questions, or the HTA's prioritisation process not recognising the importance of these research implications.