4. Symposium Health Technology Assessment
Bewertung medizinischer Verfahren
Deutsche Agentur für HTA des DIMDI – DAHTA@DIMDI
13. bis 14.11.2003, Krefeld
About this meeting
The German Agency for HTA at DIMDI
The systematic evaluation of medical procedures and technologies (health technology assessment - HTA) plays an increasing role in the German health policy since the middle of the 90ies. In 2000 the Germany Agency for HTA at DIMDI - DAHTA@DIMDI - has been established. Since then DAHTA@DIMDI runs the information system HTA and commissions HTA reports in the framework of the HTA programme according to the German Health Reform Act.
What is a health technology assessment (HTA)?
The assessment of medical procedures and technologies includes pharmaceuticals and technical devices, medical methods like therapies, procedures like rehabilitation, as well as supporting organisational structures like the electronical patient card or the eHealth card. HTA assesses the aspects security and efficacy under ideal and under everyday conditions, direct and indirect costs in relation to the benefit as well as epidemiological questions. In addition, social, legal and ethical effects are taken into account. The basic purpose of HTA is to gather and to assess available evidence and information, and to summarise these in a HTA report for drawing conclusions and for giving recommendations to the health policy and the medical care system. HTA is carried out in accordance to international standardised methods. Further important steps are the publication and the distribution (dissemination) of HTA reports as well as the investigation of their impact on the public health system.
HTA symposia of DAHTA@DIMDI
Since 2000 DAHTA@DIMDI organises an annual symposium on health technology assessment (HTA). The aims of these national meetings are
- to discuss current issues and their significance in praxis and to scientifically debate HTA methods
- to improve and to spread the knowledge of HTA in Germany
- to bring together the interested public, newcomers and experts.
The information system HTA
Under www.dimdi.de - HTA are information available concerning the activities of DAHTA@DIMDI and about previous HTA symposia. There is also free of charge access to HTA reports of DIMDI and of other institutions of the German health care self-administration.
