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Surgeon General Reports, SAMHSA TIPs, SAMHSA PEPs AHCPR Archived Technology Assessments

Assessment of Liver Transplantation

AHCPR

Health Technology Assessment Reports, 1990

Number 1

U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesPublic Health Service Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

March 1990

DHHS Publication No. (PHS) 90-3455

View the Medline Citation and Related Citations using PubMed

Foreword

The Office of Health Technology Assessment (OHTA) evaluates the safety and effectiveness of new or unestablished medical technologies that are being considered for coverage under Medicare. These assessments are performed at the request of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). They are the basis for recommendations to HCFA regarding coverage policy decisions under Medicare.

Questions about Medicare coverage for certain health care technologies are directed to HCFA by such interested parties as insurers, manufacturers, Medicare contractors, and practitioners. Those questions of a medical, scientific, or technical nature are formally referred to OHTA for assessment.

OHTA's assessment process includes a comprehensive review of the medical literature and emphasizes broad and open participation from within and outside the Federal Government. A range of expert advice is obtained by widely publicizing the plans for conducting the assessment through publication of an announcement in the Federal Register and solicitation of input from Federal agencies, medical specialty societies, insurers, and manufacturers. The involvement of these experts helps assure inclusion of the experienced and varying viewpoints needed to round out the data derived from individual scientific studies in the medical literature.

After OHTA receives information from experts and the scientific literature, the results are analyzed and synthesized into an assessment report. Each report represents a detailed analysis of the safety, clinical effectiveness, and uses of new unestablished medical technologies considered for Medicare coverage. These Health Technology Assessment Reports from the basis for the Public Health Service recommendations to HCFA and are disseminated widely. Individual reports are available to the public once HCFA has made a coverage decision regarding the subject technology.

OHTA is part of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR), Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.


Donald Goldstone, M.D.
Acting Director
Office of Health Technology Assessment
J. Jarret Clinton, M.D.
Acting Administrator
Assistant Surgeon General
Copies may be obtained at no charge from:
Publications and Information Branch
AHCPR
5600 Fishers Lane
Parklawn Building, Room 18-12
Rockville, MD 20857; (301) 4437-4100
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