Skip to main content
Log in

Technology assessment in healthcare: A means for pursuing the goals of biomedical engineering

  • Special Feature: Healthcare Technology Assessment
  • Published:
Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The goals of biomedical engineering include the improvement of health and life quality of mankind. However, the contribution of biomedical engineering to those worthy ends must be more clearly related. Biomedical engineers should become more active in demonstrating to policymakers and other parties in healthcare the value of the contributions of healthcare technology. Technology assessment (TA) is a form of investigation designed to identify and evaluate the implications of technologies so as to inform policymaking. Among the important trends in TA that should be of special interest to biomedical engineers are the increasingly higher methodological standards for accepting evidence from clinical investigations, and the use of quality-of-life measures for determining how technologies affect people's lives.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aaronson, N. K. (1991) Methodologic issues in assessing the quality of life of cancer patients.Cancer,67, S844-S850.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arnstein, S. R. (1977) Technology assessment: opportunities and obstacles.IEEE Trans.,SMC-7, 571–582.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, M. J., Bombardier, C. andTugwell, P. (1990) Measurement of functional status, quality of life, and utility in rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Rheum.,33, 591–601.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergner, M. (1989) Quality of life, health status, and clinical research.Med. Care,27, S148-S156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, H. andBowers, R. (1979) The assessment of technology.Science,222, 13–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bunge, M. (1966) Technology as applied science.Technol. & Culture,7, 329–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daddario, E. Q. (Chairman) (1967) Statement on technology assessment. Subcommittee on Science Research & Development, Committee on Science & Astronautics, House of Representatives, US Congress, 9th Congress, 1st Session, Washington DC.

  • Deyo, R. A., Diehr, P. andPatrick, D. L. (1991) Reproducibility and responsiveness of health status measures: statistics and strategies for evaluation.Controlled Clin. Trials,12, 142S-158S.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eddy, D. M. andBillings, J. (1988) The quality of medical evidence: implications for quality of care.Health Affairs, Springer, 19–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elliot, D. andElliot, R. (1976)The control of technology. Wykeham Publ., London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fineberg, H. V., Bauman, R. andSosman, M. (1977) Computerized cranial tomography: effect on diagnostic and therapeutic plans.J. Am. Med. Assoc.,238, 224–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forrest, J. E. (1991) Models of the process of technological innovation.Technol. Anal. & Strategic Manag.,3, 439–453.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fowkes, F. G. R. andFulton, P. M. (1991) Critical appraisal of published research: introductory guidelines.Br. Med. J.,302, 1136–1140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelijns, A. C. (1992)Medical innovation at the crossroads: Vol. 4: The dynamics of medical technology development, National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, C. (1992a) It's time to rethink health care technology assessment.Int. J. Technol. Assess. Health Care,8, 335–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, C. (1992b) The role of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in coronary revascularization: evidence, assessment, and policy. Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care, Stockholm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant, L. J. (1990) Product liability aspects of bioengineering.J. Biomed. Eng.,12, 262–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, J. A., Epstein, A. M. andMcNeil, B. J. (1989) Multidimensionality of health status in an elderly population: construct validity of a measurement batter.Med. Care,27, S168-S177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogness, J. R. andvan Antwerp, M. (1991)The artificial heart: prototypes, policies, and patients. Institute of Medicine, National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holohan, T. V. (1991) Laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Lancet,338, 801–803.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IOM (1985) Assessing medical technologies. Institute of Medicine, National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lomas, J., Anderson, G., Enkin, M., Vayda, E., Roberts, R. andMacKinnon, B. (1988) The role of evidence in the consensus process: results from a Canadian experience.J. Am. Med. Assoc.,259, 3001–3005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luce, B. R. andElixhauser, A. (1990)Standards for socioeconomic evaluation of health care products and services. Springer-Verlag, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehrez, A. andGefni, A. (1990) Quality-adjusted life years, utility theory, and healthy-years equivalents.Med. Decis. Making,10, 148–149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosteller, F. andFalotico-Taylor, J. (Eds.) (1989)Quality of life and technology assessment. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Brien, D. M. andMarchand, D. A. (1982) Politics, technology, and technology assessment. InThe politics of technology assessment: institutions, processes, and policy disputes.O'Brien, D. M. andMarchand, D. A. (Eds.), D.C. Health & Co., Lexington, Massachusetts.

    Google Scholar 

  • OTA (1982) Strategies for medical technology assessment. Office of Technology Assessment, US Congress, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, D. L. andDeyo, R. A. (1989) Generic and disease-specific measures in assessing health status and quality of life.Med. Care,27, S217-S232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter, A. L., Rossini, F. A., Carpenter, S. R. andRoper, A. T. (1980)A guidebook for technology assessment and impact analysis, North Holland, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rettig, R. A. andLevinsky, N. G. (Eds.) (1991)Kidney failure and the Federal Government. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothman, M. L., Hedrick, S. andInui, T. (1989) The Sickness Impact Profile as a measure of health status of noncognitively impaired nursing home residents.Med. Care,27, S157-S167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sackett, D. L. (1989) Rules of evidence and clinical recommendations on the use of antithrombotic agents.Chest,95, 2S-4S.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steiwachs, D. M. (1989) Application of health status measures in policy research.Med. Care,27, S12-S26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern, W. R. and members of the Ad Hoc Committee on FDA related matters of the College (1990) Meeting of the Food & Drug Administration: gastroenterology-urology device section advisory panel on extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for gallbladder stones, 19th Oct. 1989.Am. J. Gastroenterol.,85, 238–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Southern Surgeons Club (1991) A prospective analysis of 1518 laparoscopic cholecystectomies.N. Engl. J. Med.,324, 1073–1078.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torrance, G. W. andFeeny, D. (1989) Utilities and quality-adjusted life years.Int. J. Technol. Assess. Health Care,5, 559–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torres, W., Adwers, J., Abernathy, C., Baumgartner, B., Gordon, S. andThistle, J. (1991) What ever happened to biliary lithotripsy: an editorial.J. Lithotripsy & Stone Dis.,3, 121–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • van der Graaf, Y., de Waard, F., van Herwerden, L. A. andDefauw, J. (1992) Risk of strut fracture of Bjork-Shiley valves.Lancet,339, 257–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, A. (1991) Is the QALY a technical solution to a political problem? Of course not.Int. J. Health Serv.,21, 365–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeman, R. K., Al-Kawas, F. andBenjamin, S. B. (1991) Gallstone lithotripsy: is there still cause for optimism?Radiol.,178, 33–35.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Goodman, C.S. Technology assessment in healthcare: A means for pursuing the goals of biomedical engineering. Med. Biol. Eng. Comput. 31, HTA3–HTA10 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02446885

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02446885

Keywords

Navigation