Recommendations for patient involvement in health technology assessment in Central and Eastern European countries
Jakab, Ivett; Dimitrova, Maria; Houyez, Francois; Bereczky, Tamas; Fovenyes, Miroslava; Maravic, Zorana; Belina, Ivica; Andriciuc, Christian; Toth, Krisztina; Piniazhko, Oresta; Hren, Rok; Gutierrez-Ibarluzea, Inaki; Czech, Marcin; Tesar, Tomas; Niewada, Maciej; Lorenzovici, Laszlo; Kamusheva, Maria; Manova, Manoela; Savova, Alexandra; Mitkova, Zornitsa; Tachkov, Konstantin; Nemeth, Bertalan; Petyko, Zsuzsanna Ida; Dawoud, Dalia; Delnoij, Diana; Knies, Saskia; Goettsch, Wim; Kalo, Zoltan
(2023) Utrecht University Repository
(Contribution to conference)
Abstract
IntroductionMeaningful patient involvement in health technology assessment (HTA) is essential in ensuring that the interests of the affected patient population, their families, and the general public are accurately reflected in coverage and reimbursement decisions. Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries are generally at less advanced stages of implementing HTA, which
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is particularly true for patient involvement activities. As part of the Horizon2020 HTx project, this research aimed to form recommendations for critical barriers to patient involvement in HTA in CEE countries. MethodsBuilt on previous research findings on potential barriers, a prioritisation survey was conducted online with CEE stakeholders. Recommendations for prioritised barriers were formed through a face-to-face workshop by CEE stakeholders and HTx experts. ResultsA total of 105 stakeholders from 13 CEE countries completed the prioritisation survey and identified 12 of the 22 potential barriers as highly important. The workshop had 36 participants representing 9 CEE countries, and 5 Western European countries coming together to discuss solutions in order to form recommendations based on best practices, real-life experience, and transferability aspects. Stakeholder groups involved in both phases included HTA organisation representatives, payers, patients, caregivers, patient organisation representatives, patient experts, health care providers, academic and non-academic researchers, health care consultants and health technology manufacturers/providers. As a result, 12 recommendations were formed specified to the CEE region's context, but potentially useful for a broader geographic audience. ConclusionIn this paper, we present 12 recommendations for meaningful, systematic, and sustainable patient involvement in HTA in CEE countries. Our hope is that engaging more than a hundred CEE stakeholders in the study helped to spread awareness of the importance and potential of patient involvement and that the resulting recommendations provide tangible steps for the way forward. Future studies shall focus on country-specific case studies of the implemented recommendations.
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Keywords: Central and Eastern Europe countries, barrier prioritisation, decision-making, health technology assessment, patient involvement, recommendations, reimbursement, stakeholder perspectives, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Note: Funding Information: The HTx project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement N° 825162. This dissemination reflects only the author’s view and the Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the work of Matteo Scarabelli, who at the time of the study was involved in the HTx consortium on behalf of EURORDIS. They would like to thank Slobodanka Bolanca and Dinko Vitezic for their kind help with organising the face-to-face workshop in Pula, Croatia. They are deeply grateful for the patient organisation representatives participating in the workshop: Dan Dorica, Dan Tibero, Danijela Pesic. Gábor Pogány, Vlasta Zmzek, and Zsuzsanna Bojtor Pogányné. Additionally, they would like to acknowledge those representing the pharmaceutical and medical device industry on the workshop, Andreja Santek, Barbara Stegel, Jelena Todic, and Petra Verzun. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 Jakab, Dimitrova, Houÿez, Bereczky, Fövényes, Maravic, Belina, Andriciuc, Tóth, Piniazhko, Hren, Gutierrez-Ibarluzea, Czech, Tesar, Niewada, Lorenzovici, Kamusheva, Manova, Savova, Mitkova, Tachkov, Németh, Petykó, Dawoud, Delnoij, Knies, Goettsch and Kaló.
