Evidence-Based Medicine and Health Technology Assessment
Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)
is a clinical approach based on best available evidence on efficacy and safety of drugs and medical procedures. Such evidence is provided by results of credible experimental studies and observational studies. By using EBM we are able to differentiate between strong and poor evidence, more credible and less credible data as well as significant therapeutic effects an those falling within the limits of statistical error. Thus we make it possible for doctors and decision-makers to independently decide what is best for the patients and make a targeted choice of therapy. Our analyses also help explain to patients what effects various procedure options have and by that increase their chances of making an informed choice which is best suited to their situation.
Health Technology Assessment (HTA)
is an interdisciplinary branch of knowledge used for evidence-based decision-making in health care policy. This discipline combines knowledge from fields such as: medicine, epidemiology, biostatistics, economics, law and ethics. HTA provides scientific grounds for making rational decisions regarding the use and financing of health care services.
Mini HTA (hospital based HTA)
Our one-day training in that scope covers concrete cases and indicates solutions used in leading institutions in other countries and ensures a clear and consistent message on mini-HTA methodology.
Participation in the training and mastering the presented knowledge will contribute to improved management of a hospital budget and more rational spending of public funds with regard to implementing new technologies.
Lectures conducted under the training cover the following range of activities:
- using HTA recommendations in Poland and worldwide,
- getting acquainted with the methodology of creating mini-HTA,
- cost assessment of patient cases and cost-effectiveness assessment,
- hospital budget impact analysis and profitability based on clinical data and cost data (from the perspective of the hospital and of the National Health Fund),
- developing specific tools at the hospital level,
- obtaining the skills to select health technologies for the assessment in order to obtain potential savings for the hospital,
- making use of the existing databases of recommendations for creating mini-HTA.
Pricing
It is an extensive course which included lectures on theoretical grounds of pricing as well as workshops on practical use of methods and mechanisms applied for valuation of medicinal products and the possible pricing solutions. During this training course a lot of attention is paid to the use of health technology assessment in creating the pricing strategy and principles as well as rules and practical preparation of negotiations between the regulator and the market authorisation holder. Participants of the training are also provided with knowledge on basic negotiation skills which increase their capacity in concluding pricing agreements.
Persons willing to participate in the training have different knowledge and needs regarding expansion of their pricing skills, therefore it possible to adjust the scope of topics and practical exercises to the client’s individual needs.
Guaranteed benefits package
Our professional experience, acquired for over a decade, extends beyond the area of health technology reimbursement, which is only a part of a larger catalogue of health care services financed from public funds. We invite you to participate in a training course, which thanks to its abundant programme will introduce you to the functioning of the health care system in Poland, taking into account methods of financing of individually identified therapeutic areas.
The training programme includes:
- principles of financing health care services
- legal bases of financing health care services
- pathways allowing for qualification to the “guaranteed benefits package”
- changes in conditions of financing health care services,
- Diagnosis Related Groups – principles of settling costs of services with the payer,
- financing of services in different therapeutic areas.
Individual workshops
Just “knowing” doesn’t cut it, the trick is to pass your knowledge and the experience gained on to others in an accessible way. We approach each issue related to the health care system with a careful diagnosis and each training programme is tailored in such a way as to fit best the participants’ needs (e.g. workshops on developing risk-sharing schemes, developing economic models, planning observational data and registers). We are open for every question and challenge.