Methods manual (External manual- Part 1 & Internal manual- Part 2)

Project lead: Gerald Gartlehner
Duration: September 2006 - March 2007

Research objective: HTA promotes 3 principles: Systematic literature search, analysis and appraisal, transparent presentation of the HTA process and methods, interdisciplinary perspective. New medical interventions in particular are often explosive since different interest groups - naturally - assess them differently in terms of innovation/medical advance and "stage of maturity" (still experimental or qualified for broader diffusion). Since HTA is an instrument of critical health policy support, it is not free of conflicts. A manual is intended to facilitate the understanding of our work processes. The intention of an external manual is to present an overview of research methods and tools for collecting, selecting and interpreting the materials and literature for systematic reviews. The manual is intended to make the routes to the results reproducible. The intention of the internal manual is the standardization of processes and of terminology, and of supporting research with toolkits such as templates for the external and internal validity of studies, evidence tables, classification schemes etc. A special focus on methodological questions concerning rapid assessments of new/innovative technologies.

Method: Systematic synopsis of HTA methods and processes

Content:
- Definitions
- Methods for literature search and classification
- Selection criteria, data abstraction, appraisal
- Synthesis and peer review

Publications: HTA-Projektbericht 03, HTA-Projektbericht 06