The Introduction of New Non-Drug Health Technologies into Canadian Healthcare Institutions: Opportunities and Challenges

INTRODUCTION: A recent pan-Canadian survey of 48 health organizations concluded that structures, processes, factors and information used to support funding decisions on new non-drug health technologies (NDTs) vary within and across jurisdictions in Canada. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this paper were to elicit the views of key stakeholders on the following: (1) possible rationale for these findings, (2) enablers and barriers to the adoption of new NDTs, (3) approaches to optimizing the usefulness of health technology assessment (HTA) and (4) creation of a centralized pan-Canadian review process for NDTs, similar to that already in place for prescription pharmaceuticals. METHODS: A one-day facilitated roundtable involving 12 purposefully selected participants who were healthcare institutional/organizational leaders, hospital-based HTA program leaders and academic experts in HTA was conducted. RESULTS: Participants validated the survey findings and identified the following two enablers of technology adoption: (1) access to dedicated information resources and (2) inclusion of innovation in organizational priorities. Participants also identified four barriers, including the lack of (1) consistent decision-making processes within an organization, (2) agreement on what is affordable, (3) integration of HTA and procurement and (4) HTA literacy. Suggested approaches to optimizing the use of HTA focused on embedding the local context into assessments. CONCLUSIONS: Given the nature of NDT decision-making and the importance of accounting for local factors in such processes, the value of a centralized HTA review mechanism similar to that in place for drugs may be limited.