Publications by authors named "Inger Norderhaug"
Background: The way in which a health technology is used in any particular health system depends on the decisions and actions of a variety of stakeholders, the local culture, and context. In 2009, the HTAi Policy Forum considered how health technology assessment (HTA) could be improved to optimize the use of technologies (in terms of uptake, change in use, or disinvestment) in such complex systems.
Methods: In scoping, it was agreed to focus on initiatives to implement evidence-based guidance and monitoring activities.
The HTA core model: a novel method for producing and reporting health technology assessments.
Int J Technol Assess Health Care
December 2009
Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop and test a generic framework to enable international collaboration for producing and sharing results of health technology assessments (HTAs).
Methods: Ten international teams constructed the HTA Core Model, dividing information contained in a comprehensive HTA into standardized pieces, the assessment elements. Each element contains a generic issue that is translated into practical research questions while performing an assessment.
Introduction: Rapid reviews are being produced with greater frequency by health technology assessment (HTA) agencies in response to increased pressure from end-user clinicians and policy-makers for rapid, evidence-based advice on health-care technologies. This comparative study examines the differences in methodologies and essential conclusions between rapid and full reviews on the same topic, with the aim of determining the validity of rapid reviews in the clinical context and making recommendations for their future application.
Methods: Rapid reviews were located by Internet searching of international HTA agency websites, with any ambiguities resolved by further communication with the agencies.
Early identification and assessment of new and emerging health technologies: actions, progress, and the future direction of an international collaboration--EuroScan.
Int J Technol Assess Health Care
November 2008
Objectives: To report on a workshop, and subsequent discussions, that reviewed the achievements and progress of the EuroScan collaboration since its establishment in 1999 to share information on the methods and results of early identification and assessment of new and emerging health technologies; considered challenges to the collaboration; and discussed its possible future direction.
Methods: A workshop was held in Stockholm in September 2006, with thirty-two participants from ten countries and representatives from EuroScan member agencies, policy makers involved in policy or decision making relating to new technologies, and invited external commentators from international HTA networks. The workshop used a mix of presentations, panel and audience discussions, and small group work to consider the achievements and challenges put forward.
Objectives: This review assessed current practice in the preparation of rapid reviews by health technology assessment (HTA) organizations, both internationally and in the Australian context, and evaluated the available peer-reviewed literature pertaining to the methodology used in the preparation of these reviews.
Methods: A survey tool was developed and distributed to a total of fifty International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) members and other selected HTA organizations. Data on a broad range of themes related to the conduct of rapid reviews were collated, discussed narratively, and subjected to simple statistical analysis where appropriate.
Article Synopsis
- The objective of the study was to conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effectiveness of catheter ablation for treating atrial fibrillation (AF).
- While observational studies suggest that radiofrequency (RF) ablation may help reduce AF recurrence, only five RCTs involving 578 patients met the inclusion criteria for this review, indicating a moderate quality of evidence.
- The findings confirmed that RF-ablation is more effective than medication in preventing the return of AF, although the studies had limitations, including a lack of elderly participants aged over 70 and a follow-up period of only one year.
Background And Purpose: Proton therapy is an emerging treatment modality for cancer that may have distinct advantages over conventional radiotherapy. This relates to its ability to confine the high-dose treatment area to the tumour volume and thus minimizing radiation dose to surrounding normal tissue. Several proton facilities are currently operating or under planning world-wide - in the United States, Asia and Europe.
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