Accomplishments Of The Health Technology Assessment Unit 1995 2000

The HTA Unit moved from Alberta Health and Wellness to the Foundation late in 1995 and although the processes for the Unit's operations have been refined in the ensuing 10 years, much has remained the same. [...] The Unit teamed up with the Calgary Health Region and the Capital Health Region to secure support from the Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment (CCOHTA) for the Ambassador Program. [...] Report of Activities for 2004-2005 INTRODUCTION This report provides a comprehensive description of the products, services, and activities of the Health Technology Assessment Unit for the 2004-2005 fiscal year. [...] Determining the appropriate level of response to a request takes into account: the purpose of the request; the impact of the technology; availability of the technology, variability in the utilization of the technology or management of a medical condition; alternative sources of information including other assessments; timelines for completion; feasibility considering the time and resources require [...] The role of this advisory committee is to provide advice on health technology assessment issues related to medical devices and health systems and services for the Ministries of Health in Canada, and the CCOHTA board and staff.

Concentrating on the hospital and its variants, a panel of eminent academics and practitioners explores the major transformations that technological innovations have brought to the worldwide delivery of health care. This book spans a diversity of countries and health-care delivery systems but focuses primarily on the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia. Doctors and hospitals have long resisted joining the digital revolution, said The Wall Street Journal (June 10, 2002.) Now they have no choice. Concentrating on the hospital and its variants, a panel of eminent academics and practitioners explores the major transformations that technological innovations have brought to the worldwide delivery of health care. This book spans a diversity of countries and health-care delivery systems but focuses primarily on the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia. The book is divided into three parts: • Creating Frameworks, which describes organizational changes in future health-care delivery • Future Processes of Healthcare Delivery, which examines different processes of delivery, such as strategic planning, palliative care, and the impact of research knowledge • Emerging Technologies, which addresses technology's potential impact on future care The breadth of contributions and the variety of topics covered make this a truly useful review of the origins and current state of the delivery health care, and what we might reasonably expect in the future. Designed for professionals and academics in health care and health-care technology management, the book will be equally important to people in related disciplines who are also affected in various ways by advances in the health-care system worldwide.

New technologies with the potential to improve the health of populations are continuously being introduced. But not every technological development results in clear health gains. Health technology assessment provides evidence-based information on the coverage and usage of health technologies, enabling them to be evaluated properly and applied to health care efficaciously, promoting the most effective ones while also taking into account organizational, societal and ethical issues. This book reviews the relationship between health technology assessment and policy-making, and examines how to increase the contribution such research makes to policy- and decision-making processes. By communicating the value and potential of health technology assessment to a wider audience, both within and beyond decision-making and health care management, it aims ultimately to contribute to improve the health status of the population through the delivery of optimum health services.