What is Health Technology Assessment?
The term ‘health technology’ covers a range of methods used to promote health, prevent and treat disease and improve rehabilitation and long term care including:
Drugs: such as antidepressants, contraceptives, antibiotics
Devices: such as pacemakers, dialysis machines, hearing aids
Procedures: such as surgical techniques, acupuncture, counselling
Settings of care: such as general practice, hospitals, care homes
Screening: for cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, stroke
Health Technology Assessment asks important questions about these technologies such as:
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when is counselling better than drug treatment for depression?
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what is the best operation for aortic aneurysms?
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should we screen for human papilloma virus when doing cervical smears?
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should aspirin be used for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease?
It answers these questions by investigating four main factors:
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whether the technology works
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for whom
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at what cost
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how it compares with the alternatives
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