Prepared by: Martin Erlichman AHCPR

Health Technology Assessment Reports, 1990

Number 4

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

December 1990

DHHS Publication No. (PHS) 91-3471

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 federally financed health programs. These assessments are performed at the request of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and the Office of Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (OCHAMPUS). They are the basis for recommendations to these programs regarding coverage policy decisions.

Questions about coverage for certain health care technologies are directed to HCFA and OCHAMPUS by such interested parties as insurers, manufacturers, 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 or unestablished medical technologies considered for coverage. These Health Technology Assessment Reports form the basis for the Public Health Service recommendations to HCFA and OCHAMPUS and are disseminated widely. Individual reports are available to the public once a coverage decision regarding the subject technology has been made.

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

Thomas V. Holohan, M.D.

Director

Office of Health Technology Assessment

J. Jarrett Clinton, M.D.

Acting Administrator,

AHCPR Assistant Surgeon General

Copies may be obtained at no charge from:

Division of Information and Publications

AHCPR

5600 Fishers Lane

Parklawn Building, Room 18-12

Rockville, MD 20857; (301) 443-4100