A review of implementation frameworks to operationalize health technology assessment recommendations for medical technologies in the Singapore setting

Abstract

Background. Methodologies of health technology assessment (HTA) for medical technologies are well established; yet, operational frameworks that enable appropriate uptake of HTA recommendations into routine clinical practice are lacking. This review aims to identify the key themes needed to guide the planning and implementation of HTA subsidy decisions for medical technologies such as diagnostics, medical devices, and services and to monitor their impact on a complex multipayer healthcare system like Singapore. Methods. A literature search of implementation frameworks was conducted up to 20 December 2020 and was documented in a flow diagram. A thematic analysis of the evidence base was performed using the Braun and Clark approach to identify key themes, from which an implementation framework suitable for Singapore’s healthcare system could be developed. Results. The searches yielded forty-four articles for review, from which twenty themes were identified. The top ten themes constituted the key themes of implementation essential for local adaptation and were categorized into five domains: implementation strategy, organizational support, stakeholder engagement, information dissemination, and implementation outcomes and evaluation. These domains provide operational guidance to methodically identify gaps to facilitate sustainable implementation of HTA-informed medical technology subsidy decisions. Conclusion. A robust and adaptable implementation of HTA-informed subsidy decisions is crucial to optimize its intended impact of improving patient outcomes per dollar spent. The key themes of an implementation framework should capture the important aspects of organizational feasibility to ensure successful adoption in a complex multipayer healthcare system like Singapore.