Systematic reviews of machine learning in healthcare: a literature review.

Introduction: The increasing availability of data and computing power has made machine learning (ML) a viable approach to faster, more efficient healthcare delivery.

Methods: A systematic literature review (SLR) of published SLRs evaluating ML applications in healthcare settings published between1 January 2010 and 27 March 2023 was conducted.

Results: In total 220 SLRs covering 10,462 ML algorithms were reviewed.

Do We Need Another CT Scanner?-The Pilot Study of the Adoption of an Evolutionary Algorithm to Investment Decision Making in Healthcare.

: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of the adoption of a machine learning (ML) algorithm in support of the investment decisions regarding high cost medical devices based on available clinical and epidemiological evidence. : Following a literature search, the set of epidemiological and clinical need predictors was established. Both the data from The Central Statistical Office and The National Health Fund were used.

Patients' Expectations and Preferences for the Organizational Conditions of the Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme in Poland: A Qualitative Analysis.

(1) Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a serious health problem in Poland as well as many European Union countries. The study aimed to describe factors that, from the patient's perspective, could increase the attendance rate and regularity of participation in the colorectal cancer screening programme (SP); (2) Methods: The qualitative approach was applied. The study involved six focus interviews conducted with 24 respondents (12 women and 12 men) aged 40-49, who had at least one first-degree family member diagnosed with CRC and persons aged 50-65, living in five selected voivodships (provinces) of Poland.

Parental Knowledge about Allergies and Problems with an Elimination Diet in Children Aged 3 to 6 Years.

Allergic diseases are highly prevalent, and they can exert a significant influence on the patients’ physical and mental well-being, thus affecting the quality of their lives and society as a whole. The aim of this study was to evaluate parental knowledge about allergens, allergy symptoms, and treatment of allergies, and to identify problems with adherence to an elimination diet and the underlying difficulties. Twelve kindergartens and the parents of 1350 preschoolers took part in the first stage of the study.

An evaluation of the knowledge on specific nutritional needs and factors affecting pregnancy outcome in women of reproductive age.

Background: Pregnancy is one of the few periods in a woman's life when extra weight is not perceived as a negative factor, but has positive connotations with healthy fetal development, which runs against the modern cult of a perfect, slim and healthy body. Most research studies focus on excessive rather than insufficient weight gain in successive trimesters of pregnancy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate women's knowledge about the influence of diet on pregnancy outcome and to assess changes in body weight and eating behaviors during pregnancy.

How Useful Are Digital Health Terms for Outcomes Research? An ISPOR Special Interest Group Report.

Objectives: This study aimed to review definitions of digital health and understand their relevance for health outcomes research. Four umbrella terms (digital health, electronic health, mobile health, and telehealth/telemedicine) were summarized in this article.

Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and EconLit were searched from January 2015 to May 2020 for systematic reviews containing key Medical Subject Headings terms for digital health (n = 38) and synonyms of "definition.

Implementation of coverage with evidence development schemes for medical devices: A decision tool for late technology adopter countries.

Experiences with coverage with evidence development (CED) schemes are fairly limited in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, which are usually late adopters of new health technologies. Our aim was to put forward recommendations on how CEE health technology assessment bodies and payer organizations can apply CED to reduce decision uncertainty on reimbursement of medical devices, with a particular focus on transferring the structure and data from CED schemes in early technology adopter countries in Western Europe. Structured interviews on the practices and feasibility of transferring CED schemes were conducted and subsequently, a draft tool for the systematic classification of decision alternatives and recommendations was developed.

State of the Art in Adoption of Contact Tracing Apps and Recommendations Regarding Privacy Protection and Public Health: Systematic Review.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, contact tracing apps have received a lot of public attention. The ongoing debate highlights the challenges of the adoption of data-driven innovation. We reflect on how to ensure an appropriate level of protection of individual data and how to maximize public health benefits that can be derived from the collected data.

Treatment of bypass failure in patients with chronic limb threatening ischemia - open surgery vs. percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy.

: Lower limb bypass occlusion in patients with chronic limb threating ischemia remains a challenge. We can choose between different treatment options: open surgery, local thrombolysis, thrombectomy/atherectomy devices. In this pilot study, we compare clinical outcomes and treatment costs between open surgery (OS) and percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (pMTH).

Future of Data Analytics in the Era of the General Data Protection Regulation in Europe.

The development of evidence to demonstrate 'value for money' is regarded as an important step in facilitating the search for the optimal allocation of limited resources and has become an essential component in healthcare decision making. Real-world evidence collected from de-identified individuals throughout the continuum of healthcare represents the most valuable source in technology evaluation. However, in the European Union, the value assessment based on real-world data has become challenging as individuals have recently been given the right to have their personal data erased in the case of consent withdrawal or when the data are regarded as being no longer necessary.

'Without data, you're just another person with an opinion'.

: Given the recent impressive digital transformation worldwide, the importance of data has reached a new dimension. It is, therefore, provocative to ask whether data can save healthcare systems from bankruptcy.: We reviewed published examples in the search for the evidence on how the growing amount of data could change the way we used to assess the value of healthcare technologies, ensuring a more holistic approach in the decision-making process while reducing the waste in the healthcare.

How to Value Digital Health Interventions? A Systematic Literature Review.

In Europe, there were almost twice as many patents granted for medical technology (13,795) compared to pharmaceuticals (7441) in 2018. It is important to ask how to integrate such an amount of innovations into routine clinical practice and how to measure the value it brings to the healthcare system. Given the novelty of digital health interventions (DHI), one can even question whether the quality-adjusted life years (QALY) approach developed for pharmaceuticals can be used or whether we need to develop a new DHI's value assessment framework.

How can multi criteria decision analysis support value assessment of pharmaceuticals? - Findings from a systematic literature review.

Introduction: As budget constraints become more and more visible, there is growing recognition for greater transparency and greater stakeholders' engagement in the pharmaceuticals' pric-ing&reimbursement (P&R) decision making. New frameworks of drugs' value assessments are searched for. Among them, the multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) receives more and more attention.

Revealed preferences towards the appraisal of orphan drugs in Poland - multi criteria decision analysis.

Background: A Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) technique was adopted to reveal the preferences of the Appraisal Body of the Polish HTA agency towards orphan drugs (OMPs).

Results: There were 34 positive and 23 negative HTA recommendations out of 54 distinctive drug-indication pairs. The MCDA matrix consisted of 13 criteria, seven of which made the most impact on the HTA process.

The effects of payments for pharmaceuticals: a systematic literature review.

The existence of different forms of out-of-pocket payments (OOPs) for pharmaceuticals across the globe provokes the question whether they can achieve more negative or positive consequences. A systematic literature review was conducted to assess the association between drug cost sharing and health care services utilization, health care costs as well as health outcomes. Studies published in The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase were searched with such keywords as: drug, pharmaceutical, cost sharing, out of pocket, co-payments paired with the following: impact, health outcomes, health care costs and utilization.

Patient registries as a new quality measurement and method the assessment of the treatment effectiveness.

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are still regarded as golden standard for the assessment of efficacy and safety of pharmaceutical products. Nevertheless, there is a growing interest into the real world data (RWD) as decision makers more and more often require data on the effectiveness of new treatment and other real life consequences of its implementation into the clinical pathways. In Poland, a number of challenges hinder the full utilization of RWD in the pricing & reimbursement (P&R) processes.

Cost-utility analysis of vortioxetine versus agomelatine, bupropion SR, sertraline and venlafaxine XR after treatment switch in major depressive disorder in Finland.

Background: To assess the cost-utility of vortioxetine versus relevant comparators (agomelatine, bupropion SR, sertraline, and venlafaxine XR) in the finnish setting in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with inadequate response to selective serotonin- /serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.

Methods: A one-year analysis was conducted using a decision tree with a Markov state transition component. The health states were remission, relapse and recovery.

Does cost sharing do more harm or more good? - a systematic literature review.

Background: There are positive and negative consequences of the implementation of out of pocket (OOP) payments as a source of the healthcare financing. On the one hand, OOP burden increases awareness of treatment costs and limits unnecessary use of healthcare services. On the other hand, it may prevent the sick from accessing needed care.

The use of non-economic criteria in pricing and reimbursement decisions in Central and Eastern Europe: issues, trends and recommendations.

Introduction: According to some experts, there is still room for improvement with regard to the inclusion of ethical considerations in Health Technology Assessment (HTA).

Areas Covered: The pros and cons of the introduction of non-economic criteria in the HTA process in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are discussed. In comparison to Western Europe, financial considerations are even more important in CEE settings; however, it could also be said that attachment to equity and justice is part of CEE's heritage.

Health technology assessment of public health programmes in Poland, years 2010 and 2013.

Background: In Poland, among other responsibilities, local governments are obliged to organize public health activities for local communities. To fulfill their obligations in this respect, authorities can organize preventive care in the form of health programs. Prior to their implementation, local governments must seek however opinion of the Polish HTA (Health Technology Assessment) agency.

Potential impact of the implementation of multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) on the Polish pricing and reimbursement process of orphan drugs.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the potential impact of the implementation of multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) on the Polish pricing and reimbursement (P&R) process with regard to orphan drugs.

Methods: A four step approach was designed. Firstly, a systematic literature review was conducted to select the MCDA criteria.

ANALYSIS OF TRENDS IN LIFE EXPECTANCIES AND PER CAPITA GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT AS WELL AS PHARMACEUTICAL AND NON-PHARMACEUTICAL HEALTHCARE EXPENDITURES.

Life expectancy is a common measure of population health. Macro-perspective based on aggregated data makes it possible to approximate the impact of different levels of pharmaceutical expenditure on general population health status and is often used in cross-country comparisons. The aim of the study was to determine whether there are long-run relations between life expectancy, total healthcare expenditures, and pharmaceutical expenditures in OECD countries.

The paradox of public participation in the healthcare in Poland--what citizens want, and what they think.

Objective: To assess the concept of public involvement in the decision-making process in the healthcare sector in Poland.

Methods: A poll was conducted in 2011 on a representative random sample of residents of Poland. Respondents were asked about their preferences concerning the selection of the groups most appropriately representing public interests in the process of decision-making in the healthcare: Patients' Advocacy Groups (PAGs), Carers' Advocacy Groups (CAGs) and Citizens' Councils (CCs).

Are pricing and reimbursement decision-making criteria aligned with public preferences regarding allocation principles in the Polish healthcare sector?

Given growing interest in multicriteria decision making and multiple cost-effectiveness thresholds' approach, it was decided to investigate its usefulness in Poland. The pricing and reimbursement (P&R) regulations were reviewed and a cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst nurses. The study investigated whether P&R rules are aligned with the preferences of healthcare professional towards the concept of equity.