OBJECTIVES Synthesizing qualitative research is an important means of ensuring the needs, preferences, and experiences of patients are taken into account by service providers and policy makers, but the range of methods available can appear confusing. This study presents the methods for synthesizing qualitative research most used in health research to-date and, specifically those with a potentia...

OBJECTIVES The aim of this article is to describe and analyze the stages toward recognition and implementation of health technology assessment (HTA). METHODS System analysis of structures and institutions and their use of HTA. RESULTS Austria is a latecomer in implementing evaluations/HTA as decision support. It can to a certain degree absorb the increasing international knowledge. Austria ...

OBJECTIVES Our objective was to gather perspectives from payers on how comparative effectiveness research (CER) in the United States and relative effectiveness (RE) research in Europe will impact evidentiary standards for access decisions of new drugs by 2020. METHODS We conducted semi-structured interviews with fourteen senior officials representing public and private payers, health technolo...

Meeting the many requirements of clients, fellow associates and society has become a requirement for organizational success (Popcorn, 1991; Kaufman, 1998). In response of this increasing demand of both internal and external clients “need assessments” have become a mainstay in organizational management of recent years. With a history that can be traced in part back to 1952 (Moore and Dutton, 197...

Learning needs assessment is a crucial stage in the educational process that leads to changes in practice, and has become part of government policy for continuing professional development. Learning needs assessment can be undertaken for many reasons, so its purpose should be defined and should determine the method used and the use made of findings. Exclusive reliance on formal needs assessment ...