Implementation of a Health Technology Assessment Unit: Experience in the Largest Private Healthcare Provider in Oncology in Brazil

Problem Statement: Private onco-hematology centers face the pressure of rapidly adopting technological advances while balancing costs and clinical outcomes. The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) process provides a methodological framework for the financial and evidence-based analysis that enables the sustainability in health systems. Five years ago, we set up an HTA Unit at the Brazilian private Onco-Hematology Network, Oncoclínicas&Co/MedSir.

Description: Established in 2019, the HTA Unit systematically evaluates new technologies. A multidisciplinary team produces technical and scientific reports, including efficacy and safety data, quality of evidence assessments and pharmacoeconomic analyses. These are assessed by a HTA committee empowered to deliberate on new incorporations, de-incorporations, and the definition of preferred treatment protocols at national level. From 2019 (August) to 2024 (May), 90 deliberative meetings were held. Five hundred and seventy-eight scenarios, including onco-hematological and support therapies, were reviewed. The dissemination of the material is conducted on a unified platform with national coverage. Four hundred and twenty-one preferred protocols were defined out of 1922 evaluated. Recently, an automation process was implemented to allow more effective identification and auditing of the deliberated protocols. The HTA unit supports healthcare professionals in clinical decision-making by providing in-depth analysis and evidence-based recommendations to promote more standardized and effective care. Furthermore, it has promoted collaboration among different areas of expertise, integrating physicians, researchers, health economists, and managers for a comprehensive evaluation of health technologies.

Lessons Learned: The HTA Unit has optimized the quality of care by ensuring that implemented technologies align with the latest clinical best practices and scientific evidence, thus promoting continuous improvement. It has also emphasized financial sustainability by evaluating the cost-effectiveness of new technologies, optimizing resource allocation, and avoiding the adoption of high-cost technologies with modest clinical benefit or poor quality of evidence.

Stakeholder Perspective: Payer, provider, and industry.