Health technology assessment in Croatian healthcare system

Abstract

The healthcare system in Croatia is in transition. HTA can improve quality and increase its efficiency. In our feasibility study we analyzed the efficiency of Croatian healthcare system, and as a result we found out that the system is expensive and of low efficiency. Health technology assessment is a systematic evaluation of properties and effects of health care technology. It may involve the investigation of one or more of the following attributes of technologies: Performance characteristics that include sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests, and conformity with specifications of design, manufacturing, reliability, ease of use and maintenance. Safety, a judgment of risk acceptability (possibility of adverse health outcome and its severity) associated with using technology in a particular situation. Efficiency refers to the benefit of using technology in order to address a particular problem under ideal conditions (e.g., within the protocol of a carefully managed randomized controlled trial, involving patients meeting narrowly defined criteria, or conducted at a “center of excellence”). Effectiveness refers to the benefit of using technology for a particular problem under general or routine conditions (e.g., by a physician in a community hospital treating a variety of patient types).