Dr Aurora Llanos Méndez

Agency:

AETSA

Organisation:

Agencia de Evaluación de Technologías Sanitarias de Andalucía

Tel:

+34 955 40 72 03

Email:

aurora.llanos.ext@juntadeandalucia.es

Website:

http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/salud/orgdep/aetsa/default.asp?V

Address:

Avda. de la Innovación s/n, Edificio RENTA SEVILLA. 2a planta, 41020 Sevilla, SPAIN

Agency Member Since:

01/10/2001

EAAS Name:

Observatory for Emerging Health Technologies / Observatorio de Tecnologías Emergentes

EAAS Host Organisation:

AETSA

Country and/or Region:

Andalusia (Spain)

Year EAAS formally established:

2004

EAAS Status:

Permanent

EAAS Main Output Language:

Spanish and English

EAAS Description:

The Observatory for Emerging Technologies is part of the Andalusian Agency for Healthcare Technologies Assessment (AETSA), a non-profit governmental organisation within the Regional Ministry of Health. The Emerging Technologies Observatory’s mission is to pinpoint and monitor the emerging health technologies’ development in the major diagnostic and therapeutic fields; as well as to provide tools that anticipate the impact of emerging technologies with the aim of providing timely, and relevant information to assist decision-making within the Andalusian Public Health System (SSPA). The main customers are the decision-makers in the SSPA. Specific Aims: * Early detection of new technologies or changes in existing ones, that are likely to have a potential impact on SSPA. * Summarising the information available about the technologies detected. * Elaborating recommendations addressed to different decision levels in SSPA. * Promoting the view that the scientific assessment of benefits and risks should precede the introduction of new technologies. * Serving as one of the prioritised criteria to AETSA's assessment reports. Structure and Function: The Observatory works according to a model composed of several phases: I. Detection: Identification of as many emerging technologies as possible within a 1-2 year framework. II. Filtration. Detected technologies are listed every six months, identifying those considered most important. The remainder are collected in a database, awaiting its evolution. III. Selection and prioritising: Detected technologies are selected and prioritised for evaluation according to, burden of disease; potential benefit; economical consequences; ethical, legal and organisational aspects; and possible inclusion in any priority working lines of the organisation. IV. Assessment: Searching databases and information sources to find the evidence that lays the foundations for its possible introduction in SSPA and comparisons with present standards, as well as the possible economical and organisational repercussions on health. The documents found are assessed according to their quality, and summarised. V. Diffusion: These activities will result in different outcomes: - Technical reports or files about the present state of every technology, and implications for SSPA. - Assistance in the form of recommendations for SSPA decision-makers. - Database of the technologies identifies. - Bulletins and publications on net.

Main source of funding:

Regional health system - Department of Health or health services

Purpose of EAAS:

• To inform decisions on coverage or reimbursement of health services
• To inform decisions on undertaking secondary research (health technology assessments, systematic reviews)

Types of technologies covered by EAAS:

• Pharmaceuticals (including vaccines)
• Devices (including imaging equipment)
• Diagnostics (diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers)
• Interventional procedures (e.g. surgery)

Main customers of EAAS:

• Regional, State or Provincial Government
• Health care providers e.g. hospitals
• Health care professionals, medical advisors or clinical experts

Contents of Main Output from EAAS:

• Potential for significant health service impact
• Safety and efficacy
• Assessment of clinical effectiveness
• Assessment of cost effectiveness