Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: The Dutch EE guideline serves as a standard reference for economic evaluations in the Netherlands, outlining methodological choices and standard reference values. Many of these calculations require upto-date data, such as inflation adjustments and productivity loss estimations. Implementing these calculations manually is time-consuming and prone to errors. To enhance transparency and reproducibility of Health Technology assessment and cost-effectives analysis, we aimed to standardise this process, by developing an R package ensuring alignment with evolving standards and recent reference values.
METHODS: The R package “tatooheene” (Technology Appraisal Toolbox for Health Economic Evaluations in the Netherlands) was developed based on the latest Dutch EE guideline and integrates key functions to automate essential calculations. It incorporates methodologies for estimating productivity losses using the friction cost method, updating reference prices with consumer price index data from CBS, and applying inflation using purchasing power parity data from the OECD. It was initially introduced to HTA researchers at Dutch universities for testing, alongside a comprehensive questionnaire for feedback, reporting potential bugs/errors, and stating feature requests for further refinement.
RESULTS: We highlight tatooheene’s functionalities, its development process, and report on the results of the testing from HTA researchers. We will present the lessons learned from engaging the research community, discuss the package’s impact on health economic modelling, and potential future enhancements to improve accessibility and usability.
CONCLUSIONS: tatooheene enhances the efficiency of economic evaluations streamlining key calculations and potentially reducing errors. The package simplifies the application of Dutch EE guideline-based calculations, ensuring consistency in economic modelling for reimbursement submissions and streamlining technical model reviews. Its implementation can facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements while promoting open-source modelling in HTA.