Factors influencing institutionalization of health technology assessment in Kenya
<p><strong>Background</strong></p> There is a global interest in institutionalizing health technology assessment (HTA) as an approach for explicit healthcare priority-setting. Institutionalization of HTA refers to the process of conducting and utilizing HTA as a normative pra...
| প্রধান লেখক: | , , , |
|---|---|
| বিন্যাস: | Journal article |
| ভাষা: | English |
| প্রকাশিত: |
BioMed Central
2023
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| _version_ | 1826311344105717760 |
|---|---|
| author | Mbau, R Vassall, A Gilson, L Barasa, E |
| author_facet | Mbau, R Vassall, A Gilson, L Barasa, E |
| author_sort | Mbau, R |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | <p><strong>Background</strong></p>
There is a global interest in institutionalizing health technology assessment (HTA) as an approach for explicit healthcare priority-setting. Institutionalization of HTA refers to the process of conducting and utilizing HTA as a normative practice for guiding resource allocation decisions within the health system. In this study, we aimed to examine the factors that were influencing institutionalization of HTA in Kenya.
<p><strong>Methods</strong></p>
We conducted a qualitative case study using document reviews and in-depth interviews with 30 participants involved in the HTA institutionalization process in Kenya. We used a thematic approach to analyze the data.
<p><strong>Results</strong></p>
We found that institutionalization of HTA in Kenya was being supported by factors such as establishment of organizational structures for HTA; availability of legal frameworks and policies on HTA; increasing availability of awareness creation and capacity-building initiatives for HTA; policymakers’ interests in universal health coverage and optimal allocation of resources; technocrats’ interests in evidence-based processes; presence of international collaboration for HTA; and lastly, involvement of bilateral agencies. On the other hand, institutionalization of HTA was being undermined by limited availability of skilled human resources, financial resources, and information resources for HTA; lack of HTA guidelines and decision-making frameworks; limited HTA awareness among subnational stakeholders; and industries’ interests in safeguarding their revenue.
<p><strong>Conclusions</strong></p>
Kenya’s Ministry of Health can facilitate institutionalization of HTA by adopting a systemic approach that involves: - (a) introducing long-term capacity-building initiatives to strengthen human and technical capacity for HTA; (b) earmarking national health budgets to ensure adequate financial resources for HTA; (c) introducing a cost database and promoting timely data collection to ensure availability of data for HTA; (d) developing context specific HTA guidelines and decision-making frameworks to facilitate HTA processes; (e) conducting deeper advocacy to strengthen HTA awareness among subnational stakeholders; and (f) managing stakeholders’ interests to minimize opposition to institutionalization of HTA. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T08:08:22Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:943e4e7d-d3cc-4df5-a5cc-9a8a5c30e2a0 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T08:08:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | BioMed Central |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:943e4e7d-d3cc-4df5-a5cc-9a8a5c30e2a02023-11-09T16:05:14ZFactors influencing institutionalization of health technology assessment in KenyaJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:943e4e7d-d3cc-4df5-a5cc-9a8a5c30e2a0EnglishSymplectic ElementsBioMed Central2023Mbau, RVassall, AGilson, LBarasa, E<p><strong>Background</strong></p> There is a global interest in institutionalizing health technology assessment (HTA) as an approach for explicit healthcare priority-setting. Institutionalization of HTA refers to the process of conducting and utilizing HTA as a normative practice for guiding resource allocation decisions within the health system. In this study, we aimed to examine the factors that were influencing institutionalization of HTA in Kenya. <p><strong>Methods</strong></p> We conducted a qualitative case study using document reviews and in-depth interviews with 30 participants involved in the HTA institutionalization process in Kenya. We used a thematic approach to analyze the data. <p><strong>Results</strong></p> We found that institutionalization of HTA in Kenya was being supported by factors such as establishment of organizational structures for HTA; availability of legal frameworks and policies on HTA; increasing availability of awareness creation and capacity-building initiatives for HTA; policymakers’ interests in universal health coverage and optimal allocation of resources; technocrats’ interests in evidence-based processes; presence of international collaboration for HTA; and lastly, involvement of bilateral agencies. On the other hand, institutionalization of HTA was being undermined by limited availability of skilled human resources, financial resources, and information resources for HTA; lack of HTA guidelines and decision-making frameworks; limited HTA awareness among subnational stakeholders; and industries’ interests in safeguarding their revenue. <p><strong>Conclusions</strong></p> Kenya’s Ministry of Health can facilitate institutionalization of HTA by adopting a systemic approach that involves: - (a) introducing long-term capacity-building initiatives to strengthen human and technical capacity for HTA; (b) earmarking national health budgets to ensure adequate financial resources for HTA; (c) introducing a cost database and promoting timely data collection to ensure availability of data for HTA; (d) developing context specific HTA guidelines and decision-making frameworks to facilitate HTA processes; (e) conducting deeper advocacy to strengthen HTA awareness among subnational stakeholders; and (f) managing stakeholders’ interests to minimize opposition to institutionalization of HTA. |
| spellingShingle | Mbau, R Vassall, A Gilson, L Barasa, E Factors influencing institutionalization of health technology assessment in Kenya |
| title | Factors influencing institutionalization of health technology assessment in Kenya |
| title_full | Factors influencing institutionalization of health technology assessment in Kenya |
| title_fullStr | Factors influencing institutionalization of health technology assessment in Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors influencing institutionalization of health technology assessment in Kenya |
| title_short | Factors influencing institutionalization of health technology assessment in Kenya |
| title_sort | factors influencing institutionalization of health technology assessment in kenya |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mbaur factorsinfluencinginstitutionalizationofhealthtechnologyassessmentinkenya AT vassalla factorsinfluencinginstitutionalizationofhealthtechnologyassessmentinkenya AT gilsonl factorsinfluencinginstitutionalizationofhealthtechnologyassessmentinkenya AT barasae factorsinfluencinginstitutionalizationofhealthtechnologyassessmentinkenya |