Article type
Abstract
Background: Healthcare professionals, managers, and decision-makers need a solid knowledge base when considering implementing new health measures and services in municipality health care. Ideally, this knowledge should include research-based knowledge as well as an assessment of the consequences of implementation. The development of a knowledge support system for municipalities is highlighted as an important governmental initiative in Norway. However, collaborative structures that promote the actual utilization of research are lacking. In this project, we have developed a model guiding decision-making in collaboration with municipalities. We have built the model on a concept from hospitals involving hospital-based Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and tailored it to fit decision-making processes in the municipalities.
Objectives: To develop a model to support transparent and evidence-based processes when introducing new measures and/or services within the healthcare sector in Norwegian municipalities
Methods: Municipality-based HTAs intend to provide a basis for decision-making when introducing new health measures and/or services. It includes a systematic assessment of the effectiveness and safety of the measure and/or service, calculation of costs, and an evaluation of the organizational and ethical consequences. We developed a structure, involving a team of researchers and municipal employees and managers, and a timeline consisting of 5 meetings.
Results: The development has been exploratory and carried out in collaboration with municipalities and municipal clusters. So far, 9 community-based HTAs have been completed and published in the open-access mini-HTA database (www.minimetodevurdering.no). There has been a great variation of commissions from the municipalities, from digital home care to preventive services within child welfare. Feedback from the participating municipalities confirms that there is a great need of support for systematic and knowledge-based decision-making processes. Yet, there is room for further development. Dissemination and scale-up will further depend on knowledge infrastructures locally, regionally, and nationally.
Conclusion: The experiences so far have shown that a municipality-based HTA is a promising model for prioritization and decision-making in Norwegian municipal healthcare services. It is important that the model is integrated into regional and national structures for municipal knowledge support and that it is anchored in the participating municipalities and research institutions.
Objectives: To develop a model to support transparent and evidence-based processes when introducing new measures and/or services within the healthcare sector in Norwegian municipalities
Methods: Municipality-based HTAs intend to provide a basis for decision-making when introducing new health measures and/or services. It includes a systematic assessment of the effectiveness and safety of the measure and/or service, calculation of costs, and an evaluation of the organizational and ethical consequences. We developed a structure, involving a team of researchers and municipal employees and managers, and a timeline consisting of 5 meetings.
Results: The development has been exploratory and carried out in collaboration with municipalities and municipal clusters. So far, 9 community-based HTAs have been completed and published in the open-access mini-HTA database (www.minimetodevurdering.no). There has been a great variation of commissions from the municipalities, from digital home care to preventive services within child welfare. Feedback from the participating municipalities confirms that there is a great need of support for systematic and knowledge-based decision-making processes. Yet, there is room for further development. Dissemination and scale-up will further depend on knowledge infrastructures locally, regionally, and nationally.
Conclusion: The experiences so far have shown that a municipality-based HTA is a promising model for prioritization and decision-making in Norwegian municipal healthcare services. It is important that the model is integrated into regional and national structures for municipal knowledge support and that it is anchored in the participating municipalities and research institutions.