WITHDRAWN Influence of the Hospital-Based HTA Unit on the New Technologies Transfer at the National Level in Kazakhstan

OBJECTIVES: The Hospital-based Health Technology Assessment (HB-HTA) Unit in the Hospital of the President’s Affairs Administration (Hospital) has been operating since 2015, being the first example of the implementation of the HB-HTA System into the practice of Kazakhstani hospitals. In addition to assessing the feasibility of implementing new health technologies (HTs) into the Hospital’s practice, one of the main Unit’s directions is to interact with National Regulatory Authority (NRA) in the field of new technologies transfer into the National Reimbursement System (NRS).

METHODS: The data was drawn from the reports of the Hospital’s HB-HTA Unit and the results of interactions with NRA presented in the internal country documents. According to the rules of the NRA, the inclusion of new HTs into the NRS consists of the four sequential stages.

RESULTS: Based on a positive recommendation from the HB-HTA report in 2015 the Hospital implemented 19 new nuclear medicine technologies (Single-photon emission computed tomography combined with computed tomography (SPECT/CT) and Scintigraphy of the various organs and systems). Based on own experience, in 2016, the Hospital initiated an application to the Ministry of Health Care working body in order to include these technologies in the NRS (previously, these technologies were carried out only for a fee or with private insurance).

In 2016-2020, a positive decision form the MoH was received, protocols for medical intervention were published at the National level, and a set of sufficient practical experience has been carried out for the formation of cost estimates. In 2021, 19 new medical services in SPECT/CT and scintigraphy were included in the NRS.

CONCLUSIONS: Despite the long and bureaucratic process of including new HTs in the NRS, the HB-HTA Unit managed to speed up this process and provide the entire population of the country with innovation technologies.