PP007 Technology Adoption In Hospitals - Balancing Incentives - A Survey

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in the hospital framework involves evaluating safety and cost-effective benefits alongside additional perspectives. We must take into account: professional skills, patient mix, infrastructure costs, the competitive arena and promoting innovation as part of the hospital strategy. Within budgetary constraints, hospitals need to focus on clinical excellence, prioritizing selected technologies in key fields.

METHODS:

A survey was conducted among thirty-five mid-level managers; department directors and head nurses from eight medical centers. The data was collected from a structured questionnaire scoping five fields: clinical efficiency, risk, benefit, contribution of relevant “players” for decision making and impact of adoption.

RESULTS:

Personal characteristics of the responders correlated with certain trends: managers with longer seniority ranked life-saving higher than younger managers, as did men in comparison to women. Participants from the peripheral regions ranked improvement in quality of life higher than respondents from the center of the country. The importance of functional improvement of the patient was graded higher by nurses, compared to the physicians.

In operative aspects, improving staff communication was considered significantly higher among experienced managers, women, staff members in the central region hospitals and among nurses in comparison to physicians. Women ranked improvement of medical standards and guidelines higher, irrespective of their professional sector. At initial stages of the technology lifespan, scientific evidence on effectiveness was found to have a stronger influence on adoption decisions than national guidelines.

Budgetary repercussions of adopting a new technology were ranked significantly higher in the central region. Experienced managers attributed greater impact to economic issues than younger managers.

Social dimensions, such as providing care for a large population, reaching the target population, improvement of service and patient preferences were graded significantly higher by women.

CONCLUSIONS:

The survey highlights the insights of managers for decision making on adopting technologies in hospitals. These decisions need to integrate clinical advantages, competitive markets and national strategies with personal and professional parameters assists in bridging the gaps between local hospital activities and governance.