Search

Introduction: The Spanish network of health technology assessment (HTA) agencies (REDETS) is a collaboration of eight agencies, units and services, commissioned by the national and regional governments. The network coordinates work within a common methodological and work framework, guided by the principles of mutual recognition and cooperation. In 2016, a common self-assessment quality tool was developed for the implementation of an overall Quality Management System. Currently we are working on the second step that deals with actions about management, joint activities as a network, and organizational aspects of the network. Methods: A structured search strategy in the main electronic databases and a manual search in websites of networks national and international agencies were carried out in June 2017, in order to gather previous knowledge and developed standards. Through the information included in this review, and with the collaboration of all members, a group of standards for REDETS was developed. Finally, standards proposed were discussed in a face-to face meeting until an agreement was reached. Results: A proposal of 31 standards was put forward taking all the collected information. The aim of each standard was defined, and its level of compliance was specified. Those standards were grouped under nine quality criteria structured in four dimensions: (i) Responsibility and Resources, (ii) Performance and Membership, (iii) Procedures, and (iv) Relations. Conclusions: Based on the gathered information and the agreement of the all members, we developed a toolkit embracing a group of standards for the joint activities within the Spanish Network, network administration and management. It is a complementary instrument of the previous self-evaluating tool, following the establishment of an overall quality management system and under the philosophy of continuous improvement processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION:The Spanish National Network (REDETS) is a group of eight agencies, units and services, depending on National and Regional Governments that coordinate their work within a common methodological framework, guided by the principles of mutual recognition and cooperation. The necessity of considering a Quality Management System has been detected and, consequently, a common tool for all the members needs to be developed. We describe in this study the process to achieve that goal.METHODS:Based on both a review of previous literature and the proposal for a self-evaluating tool, a group of experts from each agency through consensus have developed a tool for self-evaluation in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) agencies. Through the structure described in the handbook of the Andalusian Agency for Healthcare Quality (ACSA), each standard should have a statement or proposal that needs to also include evidence or good practices, and the corresponding evaluation questions. In separate workgroups, the definition of these proposals, evidence and evaluation questions were developed. One face-to-face meeting and two meetings via teleconference were necessary to achieve a final document with all the quality standards.RESULTS:From a proposed structure of sixty-six standards, the titles, definitions, statements and evidence as well as good practices and evaluation questions were established in workgroups with consensus among all of the members (1 - 3). The final version of the self-assessment tool was composed of sixty-eight standards, grouped in twelve quality criteria structured in four dimensions: I Responsibility, II Clients and Stakeholders, III Production Process, and IV Resources.CONCLUSIONS:Quality management requires an evaluation tool and this version, based on a systematic review and consensus, is a useful and practical instrument for developing a handbook by each member of REDETS. An online version of the tool is in process of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION:The Spanish Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (REDETS) is a group of eight agencies, units and services, depending on National and Regional Governments that coordinate their work within a common methodological framework, guided by the principles of mutual recognition and cooperation. In this work, guided by the necessity of implementing a Quality Management System, we present the process to achieve this objective.METHODS:As an initial step, a review was carried out based on a structured search strategy in the main electronic databases Medline and EMBASE, and a manual search in websites of national and international agencies (March 2016) in order to collate previous knowledge and experiences. Through the information included in this review, a proposal to create a quality, self-evaluating tool is necessary.RESULTS:In total, 800 references were found and finally 6 studies were included in the review (1-3). All had a similar structure. Some lists of good practices, classified in dimensions related to different quality aspects in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) organizations, were found. Also some information about questions for evaluating quality standards was indicated. Taking all this information, a proposal of sixty-six standard titles was put forward. These standards were then grouped into twelve quality criteria structured in four dimensions: I Responsibility, II Clients and Stakeholders, III Production Process and IV Resources.CONCLUSIONS:Based on the systematic review, we developed a proposal for a self-evaluating tool and this is the baseline for a common Quality Management System for the Spanish Network of HTA Agencies. The quality management process will require the development of a handbook by each member of REDETS that will be based on agreed quality standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]