Global survey on biomedical engineering professionals in health technology assessment

Abstract

One of the projects of the Health Technology Assessment Division of the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering is a global survey on biomedical engineering (BME) professionals in health technology assessment (HTA). The data used in this work were derived from the main findings of the 2015 Global Survey on Health Technology Assessment by National Authorities carried out by the World Health Organization, and from the web data provided by the Croatian national authorities or Official Gazette publishing Croatian legislation. Globally, the numbers and proportions of professionals grouped as biomedical and/or clinical engineers, lawyers and librarians/information specialists involved in HTA reporting and decision making appear unacceptably low, even in case of medical devices (∼20%). The situation at the national level seems to be worse. Crucial importance of medical devices and other substantially engineering-related health technologies in modern biomedicine and healthcare urges further surveying on BME professionals in HTA.