COURSE: Innovation and health technology assessment: Improving health system quality
26-31 JULY 2009, San Servolo, Italy
Publisher/Organizer: European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
Dates: 26 -31 July 2009
Venue: The island of San Servolo
Language: English
Overview
The 2009 school will look at the role of innovation and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) as tools for improving quality and outcomes of health care. The course will have an emphasis on HTA, its implications and the associated demands as regards information, including identifying when innovation or new research is needed. It will bridge the gaps between generalist system planning; specialist HTA expertise; and the impact on practitioners of HTA led developments.
Objectives: The aim is to raise key issues; share participants’ insights (whether they are practitioners or analysts), and build networks. Specifically, the Summer School aims to develop a greater understanding of:
- the challenges of innovation in health technologies and health care delivery – and how to ensure that services are safe, effective, appropriate and cost-effective, (2) how evidence and context interact and
- how evidence impacts on clinical practice and on policy processes.
Outline: This 5-day course consists of lectures, short presentations from participants, discussions and group work. The approach will be participative, but there will be a core of formal teaching (in English). It will address systems for developing and assessing health care products (drugs, diagnostics and devices) as well as clinical and policy interventions, such as regulatory approval, reimbursement systems, national guidance or guidelines. Discussion will cover differences between context free and context dependent knowledge and the integration of scientific and “colloquial” evidence. Finally, it will look at how evidence is used and how HTA and innovation contribute to quality improvement programmes and strategies.
Target audience: The Summer School is intended for senior to mid-level policy-makers and more junior professionals who are making careers in policy and management at a regional, national or European level. It is targeting:
- the professional groups and managers who are considering introducing HTA to inform decision processes;
- the producers of HTA who have to interact with mainstream planners; and
- the professional groups and managers who are considering introducing HTA to inform decision processes.
All participants should be working in institutions with decision-making powers whether government or nongovernmental (e.g. ministries, directorates, national health institutes, federal committees), relevant provider or payer associations (such as insurance boards, hospitals or hospital federations, management boards) orpublic HTA agencies or professional bodies.
Faculty: The course will be led by Professor Reinhard Busse, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and Berlin University of Technology, and John-Arne Røttingen of the Norwegian Knowledge Centre for Health Services and European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, with international experts and practitioners serving as lecturers and facilitators.
Organization: Applications with CVs will be invited in a formal announcement shortly. A selection process will follow and a limited number of bursaries will be available.
Accreditation: The Summer School is accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME) and therefore counts towards ongoing professional development in all EU Member States.