Matteo Ritrovato
Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital,Italy
Title: Health Technology Assessment and efficient decision-making for the laboratory medicine: the applying of the “doHTA†method
Biography
Biography: Matteo Ritrovato
Abstract
Background. Decision-making process in laboratory medicine is becoming more complex due to increased clinical requirements, rapid technological changes, few available resources. The aim of this study is to illustrate a new approach for the design of clinical laboratories, considering organizational, technological and economic issues.
Methods. The study of clinical laboratory solutions was based on the application of the “decision-oriented HTA” method (developed by HTA& and Safety Research Unit of Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital [Ritrovato et al. Value Health. 2015;18(4):505–1]). Electronic searching in nine international bibliographic databases was carried on in order to identify a set of Key Performance Indicators. Those indicators were considered underlying elements of good laboratory design according to stakeholders’ claims and demands. Pair-wise comparisons were performed to define weights of indicators and to evaluate organizational and technological alternative solutions.
Results. Starting from 582 articles and documents, 57 indicators were identified, weighted by 16 healthcare professionals of the hospital. The doHTA method was then used to assess the different sale proposals in order to determine the most apporiate solution.
Conclusions. The doHTA results integrated scientific evidence with experts’ judgments and the specific context analysis for Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital. While the final decision making systems has been used to evaluate different alternatives to identify the best fit for our specific context, it represents a valuable tool for driving innovation and supporting decision-making process in laboratory medicine both at the local level and at regional and national levels.