Hospital-based health technology assessment (HB-HTA) in Kazakhstan is currently at the initial stage of development. The Medical Center Hospital of the President's Affairs Administration, Nur-Sultan is one of the first examples of implementing and using an HB-HTA system in practice, having included in its structure an HB-HTA unit in 2015.

In order to evaluate the current situation of using the principles of HB-HTA in Kazakhstan hospitals, a special questionnaire was developed. The questionnaire was sent in the form of an official request on behalf of the Ministry of Health Care. An official response was received from twenty-nine hospitals, of which nine were at the federal level, thirteen at the regional level, and seven at the city level.

Of the twenty-nine hospitals that participated in the survey, only half (52%) indicated that they were aware of the principles of using the HB-HTA system and of the structure and functions of mini-health technology assessment reports (55%). Nonetheless, most hospitals (90%) noted that the results of HB-HTA may affect the final decision on implementing new technologies in practice, and that using the systematic approach of technology assessment is necessary.

In assessing the clinical and economic effectiveness of new health technologies in hospitals, and the viability of implementing them, there is a lack of standardized processes in managerial decision making. The assessment of clinical effectiveness and safety when implementing technologies is carried out mainly by technology applicants or by the main specialists who are responsible for the profile of evaluating technology. This can be regarded as a conflict of interest, since the applicant's wish to introduce the new technology may bias the evaluation process.

In order to improve patients’ health outcomes, it is important to know the available evidence regarding centralization of surgical interventions for digestive cancer in hospitals with the highest volume of cases. We aim to describe and identify the number of annual interventions recommended by hospitals in order to maximize the health outcomes and efficiency for patients undergoing digestive cancer surgery during 2013–2016 in centers belonging to the Spanish National Health System (SNS).

The study design was a retrospective cohort study (patients aged ≥18 years). Data from Spanish public hospitals’ basic minimum set of data at hospital discharge for esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas and rectum cancers was used. Age, sex primary/secondary diagnosis and procedures (Charlson index) were included. Reinterventions, hospital stay and in-hospital mortality were considered as the outcomes and measures of efficiency. Hospitals were grouped as low-/medium-/high-volume according to the number of annual procedures. Descriptive analysis and logistic and Poisson regression models with Stata16 were undertaken.

High-volume hospitals performed between 67.4 (rectum) and 88.6 (liver) percent of interventions. The percentage of in-hospital mortality for all cancers was lower in high-volume centers (9.6% esophagus, 6.6% stomach, 7.1% pancreas, 4.2% liver and 2.2% rectum), showing a negative association between center volume and in-hospital mortality, which was statistically significant for esophagus (odds ratio [OR] = 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28–0.81), stomach (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.39–0.68) and rectum (OR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.48–0.83) cancers. A non-statistically significant lower in hospital stay was observed in high-volume hospitals.

These results indicate that in Spain there is a negative association between the number of digestive oncological interventions per hospital and in-hospital mortality. This could help to define a threshold or cut-off point for the concentration of digestive cancer surgery in the SNS that might result in an improvement of lower in-hospital mortality and/or hospital stay.

Collaborative networking is adopted to implement health technology assessment (HTA) in academic and research institutions and exchange knowledge with hospitals and health services. Since 2016, the District Network for Health Technology Assessment (ReDAPTS) has been dedicated to generating and promoting evidence that supports decision-making, promoting continuous qualification, supporting and guiding managers in priorities and demands, analysing the economic, ethical and social implications of problems and situations, and contributing to healthcare quality at the Unified Health System. The objective of this study is to present the construction process of ReDAPTS from 2016 to 2019.

This experience report about ReDAPTS considered three main actions: (i) situational diagnosis in 2016 and 2017, (ii) agreements of internal regulation and governance and (iii) HTA training strategies for professionals. The scientific events and executive group meetings were described to identify the strategies for the implementation of a collaborative network in the Federal District (FD), Brazil.

In total, fifteen institutions were identified with a potential to develop the HTA field at the district level. Between 2016 and 2019, three scientific events, eighteen technical meetings for network governance and two scientific meetings were carried out, organized by ReDAPTS and with 269 participants, highlighting assistance and university hospitals, FD Department of Health and academic and research institutions. Four HTA courses were offered and 319 professionals from the FD were trained.

Collaborative networking provided strengthening capacity for study production and debates on institutional processes for public health policies at the FD. Networking encouraged collaboration between institutions and promoted sharing HTA experiences. The network faces challenges to operate with full capacity. Political and institutional commitment, physical infrastructure and trained personnel sustainability are key to maintaining the HTA process at the FD. Institutions can develop HTA-teams to promote continuous qualification, study production and the rational use of technologies.

In 2017, the Lazio Region (Italy) published a care and therapeutic pathway (Percorso Diagnostico Terapeutico Assistenziale [PDTA]) to guide the choice of treatments for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients. Recommendations were based on clinical and economic criteria to guarantee the most appropriate care and sustainability of the regional National Health Service. Our pilot study was conducted to assess how the PDTA impacts clinical decisions and expenditure. Organizational and economic analyses were based on four HIV treatment centers at the regional level.

An ad hoc data collection was conducted. Each center provided data on the volume of prescriptions for each treatment option for the first semester of 2017 and 2018. The period January-June 2017 (H1-2017) represents the scenario pre-PDTA, while January-June 2018 (H1-2018) provides evidence on the first impact of the PDTA. Expenditure was estimated considering prices reported in the PDTA document. For each center, a semi-structured survey collected evidence on which factors influence treatment decisions.

Between H1-2017 and H1-2018 the number of experienced patients increased 10.1 percent (6,580 versus 7,249, respectively), while that of naive patients decreased 3 percent (227 versus 220). More than 80 percent of naive patients were treated with regimes recommended by the PDTA versus 36 percent in H1-2017 and 62 percent in H1-2018 of experienced patients. Regimes with a monthly cost > EUR 700 were preferred. The survey showed that the PDTA is a useful tool for supporting clinical decisions.

Our pilot study provides a snapshot on the impact of a regional HIV PDTA and identifies key aspects for its future update. Personalization of HIV therapies for an aging (5–29% of patients were >65 years in the four centers) and complex (>65% of patients had at least one comorbidity) population should be discussed for a PDTA update. Posology and treatment adherence should be further investigated.

Under the national guidance of Internet Plus Healthcare, Internet hospital was officially recognized in 2018 by the Chinese government, however, how to innovate the business models of Internet hospitals remains controversial. This study sought to explore key stakeholders’ perspectives on key dilemmas about innovative business models of Internet hospitals in China.

A focus group study of key stakeholders was performed. Twelve key stakeholders (six senior officials from related ministries, two industry practitioners of Internet medicine, one hospital leader, two healthcare researchers (financing and policy), and one venture capital manager) participated in the focus group, in 2019. Thematic content analysis was applied for data analysis.

Themes highlighted six key dilemmas when developing a business model of Internet hospitals, including (i) value proposition (medical treatment versus entire health management); (ii) leading party (hospitals versus third parties such as Internet companies); (iii) level of healthcare (tertiary versus primary); (iv) scope of service (provide full range versus part of traditional hospital service); (v) primary source of revenue (medical services versus drug sales); and (vi) legal liability (web-based unit versus physical hospital).

The healthcare industry is currently in search of innovative business models of Internet hospitals in response to the unprecedented form of healthcare in China. However, the core aspects of the model design still remain debatable. At this revolutionary stage, policies are important to allow the implementation of different model designs that support the successful transformation of the entire health care system in China.

In 1964, Jacques Ellul framed the history of technology as one defined not just by the introduction of new machines, but by the social and institutional practices that guide their use and implementation. He called this integrated system “la technique,” believing that the word “technology” had come to emphasize physical tools at the cost of social ones.

There is a strong critical component in Ellul, who opposed the dehumanization apparent in technological systems and their associated forms of utilitarian thinking. Remaining aware of this critical history, this study relies on Ellul and similar technological theories to conceptualize a framework for rethinking the distinction between health technologies and their implementation in the context of health technology assessments (HTAs). It does so by considering how HTAs could be modified within the proposed framework to better consider the social and human factors that determine how a drug or technology exists within a “live” social environment.

The study is conceptual and driven by an analysis of existing HTAs. It details potential ways that reviews could be adjusted in line with the presentation's proposed framework.

By collapsing the distinction between technology and implementation, we can guide HTAs that are more cognizant of the essential human and social components of implementation, helping to avoid the crises that arise when technologies are introduced without considering their fundamental social factors.

Many modern HTAs already take implementation into account, but their findings treat technologies as conceptually distinct from practices and procedures, leaving the latter to local institutions to determine. By challenging the traditional gap between technological and sociological factors in traditional HTA practices, it is possible to develop new approaches to reviewing health technologies—not as distinct objects, but as complex sociotechnical phenomena in line with Ellul's “la technique.”

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer for Thai females. After screening, women diagnosed with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) are referred for colposcopy or human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for further diagnostics. The impact of colposcopy and HPV testing on quality of life (QOL) is not well documented. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of both diagnostic procedures, to fill the knowledge gap and inform healthcare professionals and decision makers.

This was a cross-sectional study conducted between August 2017 and January 2019 at a university hospital. One hundred and twenty-four and forty-two women were referred for colposcopy and HPV testing, respectively. QOL was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and the 5-level EuroQol questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). Socio-demographic details were collected. The WHOQOL-BREF and EQ-5D-5L scores were compared between colposcopy and HPV testing using independent t-test or Mann-Whitney test, depending on data distribution.

The EQ-5D-5L score and four domains (mobility, self-care, usual activity, anxiety/depression) of EQ-5D-5L responses of the colposcopy and HPV testing groups were not significantly different (p > 0.05). However, the pain/discomfort domain of EQ-5D-5L in the colposcopy group was significantly higher than the HPV testing group (p = 0.032). The overall QOL and four domains (physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental) of WHOQOL-BREF were not significantly different (p > 0.05).

The QOL scores between the colposcopy and HPV testing groups were similar. HPV testing is more expensive and is not included in all health benefit packages, thus most ASC-US patients are referred to colposcopy according to reimbursement. Some women in the colposcopy group judged their social and working impact worse from the pain. Nevertheless, HPV testing would be alternative option in terms of less pain. The findings from this study may assist in promoting QOL in this group of women.

The use of automated blood pressure monitors is recommended by current guidelines; however, the accuracy of the device must be validated according to standardized protocols. Wrist blood pressure monitors have been undergoing technical improvements; nonetheless, their reliability is not unanimously recognized. No systematic review to date has analyzed the accuracy of wrist blood pressure monitors according to standardized protocols. This study aims to summarize the evidence on the accuracy of wrist blood pressure monitors in adults.

Three databases (PubMed, Scopus and SciELO) were searched on 9 September 2019. The PICO (Patient, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome) strategy was used to outline the research question: Do automated wrist blood pressure monitors have accuracy equivalent to mercury sphygmomanometers in adults? Validation studies of wrist blood pressure monitors were included. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and full texts. Summary data was extracted for each device, including mean difference of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between the monitor and the mercury sphygmomanometer.

The review identified twenty-nine validation studies. Most of them were developed in China (44.82%), followed by Italy (20.68%). The most commonly used validation protocol was from the British Society of Hypertension. The mean difference between the devices and the mercury sphygmomanometers was 0.47 (±5.75) mmHg for SBP and 0.17 (±4.75) mmHg for DBP. The percentage of wrist blood pressure monitors that passed validation protocols was 93.1.

Most automated wrist blood pressure monitors showed accuracy equivalent to the reference standard for blood pressure measurement, with mean differences less than 0.5 mmHg for SBP and 0.2 for DBP. This evidence supports the recommendation to adopt this technology for the measurement of blood pressure in adults. However, wrist blood pressure monitors have patient positioning specificities, which, if not followed, may lead to measurement errors. Therefore, the adoption of these monitors should consider not only their accuracy, but also aspects of patient use and preferences.

The development of more accurate algorithms has encouraged the replacement of sphygmomanometers with automatic blood pressure (BP) monitors in adults. From the perspective of health professionals, these technologies are advantageous for their practicality and are less susceptible to observer errors, and many devices validated by standardized protocols are available for both clinical and home use. However, adherence to these technologies also depends on patient acceptance. No studies to date have examined patient preference for BP measurement in the Brazilian population, although Brazil has undertaken initiatives to replace auscultatory measurement with oscillometric measurement. This study aims to analyze patient preferences between sphygmomanometers and automatic monitors for BP measurement.

An analytic study was conducted with 93 subjects in a Brazilian outpatient care facility. A random sampling method was used to select participants. After obtaining informed consent, all subjects had their BP measured using a sphygmomanometer and then an automatic monitor for clinical use, both in a quiet room after 10 minutes rest. A structured interview on discomfort and preferences was then conducted. An unpaired t-test and a chi-square test were used.

The mean age was 39.11 (±14.22) years. Minor discomfort was identified when an automatic monitor was used (2.34 versus 2.52). Confidence was higher with the sphygmomanometers (73.11%), and 60.21 percent preferred this technology. There was no association between gender and preferences (p = 0.88), but an association with age was identified. The average age of subjects who preferred sphygmomanometers was higher compared to those who preferred automatic monitors (p < 0.05).

This study revealed that, although BP measurement using automatic monitors is less uncomfortable, patients rely more on sphygmomanometers. Results show that preference is related to age, as younger people tend to prefer automatic monitors. The findings of this study indicate the need to widely disseminate information regarding the accuracy of automatic monitors among patients, especially older ones, in order to make them part of the decision-making process for replacing sphygmomanometers with automatic monitors.

Stroke is a leading cause of severe and long-term disability in developed countries. Around 15 million people suffer a stroke each year, most due to modifiable risk factors. Several reviews have shown that interventions mediating eHealth technologies can reduce the risk of suffering a stroke episode, improving the control of risk factors; nevertheless, all of them conclude that new and well-designed studies are needed.

We performed a prospective, randomized, parallel group and open, pilot trial. The study was carried out based on an initial sample of forty-three patients between 18 and 80 years old who have had an ischemic stroke. The control group got conventional treatment and the intervention group got conventional treatment and the assistance of STARR (the Decision SupporT and self-mAnagement system for stRoke survivoRs), as well as commercial wearables. The principal variable of the study was to evaluate the usability of the decision support system.

At month nine, the average score on the System Usability Scale in the intervention group was 64.7 and in month 12, 67.4, exceeding in both cases the margin of acceptability (50) and in the limit of “good” (68). When we analyzed clinical factors (systolic/diastolic blood pressure) as well as the analytical parameters related to prevention of reinfarction, we observed that the intervention group had good control of blood pressure and better analytical parameters, compared to the control group.

Technological support allowed participants to feel comfortable using the devices as well as resolving technical incidences by themselves after a training period. The self-management platform can be efficient in stroke survivors’ management of their disease condition, improving analytical and clinical parameters, which eventually can influence a decrease in associated comorbidities and, therefore, improvement of the disease. However, it should be noted that this type of platform is not useful for every patient profile, and studies in this regard should be expanded.

It is estimated that over 90 percent of hospitalized patients will receive some form of vascular access device (VAD) for their treatment. Currently, patients requiring medium-term catheterization often have peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) placed, which are expensive, time consuming and usually for long-term catheterization. Midline catheters (MCs) are VADs placed in deep peripheral veins, with a dwell time of up to 29 days. The study aimed to evaluate if using MCs over PICCs has any clinical and economic benefits.

A cost-calculator was developed in Microsoft Excel 2013 to demonstrate the clinical and economic differences of using MCs over PICCs in an inpatient setting in Korea. A literature review was conducted and included eighteen studies that showed MCs have positive clinical, patient, economic, and institutional outcomes. The model captured clinical outcomes such as usage duration, complications, and costs. The time horizon was one year, and various model inputs were derived from the literature review.

For an annual catheter utilization of MCs over PICCs, the total cost-saving was USD 3,764,994. Total treatment costs for MCs were USD 7,230,825 and for PICCs were USD 8,987,922. The total treatment costs included device cost, complication cost and labor cost related to using both MCs and PICCs. For MCs versus PICCs, device costs were USD 6,554,317 versus USD 6,563,356, complication costs were USD 106,749 versus USD 982,417, and labor costs were USD 569,759 versus USD 1,442,149.

In both the base and sensitivity analyses, results showed that MCs can be an impressive cost-saving option among patients with unnecessary PICC use in Korea. Among patients who require medium-term catheterization and use PICCs even when not targeted for central line insertion, MCs are a more cost-effective option, and MCs will benefit these patients with lesser complication rates. MCs are a suitable alternative with clinical and economic benefits that could lead to lower burden on patients and healthcare systems.

Despite advances in endovascular interventions, including the introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES), high target lesion revascularization (TLR) rates still burden the treatment of symptomatic lower-limb peripheral arterial disease (PAD). EluviaTM, a novel, sustained-release, paclitaxel-eluting DES, was shown to further reduce TLRs when compared with the paclitaxel-coated Zilver® PTX® stent, in the IMPERIAL randomized controlled trial. This evaluation estimated the cost-effectiveness of Eluvia when compared with Zilver PTX in Australia, based on 12-month clinical outcomes from the IMPERIAL trial.

A state-transition, decision-analytic model with a 12-month time horizon was developed from an Australian public healthcare system perspective. Cost parameters were obtained from the Australian National Hospital Cost Data Collection Cost Report (2016–17). All costs were captured in Australian dollars (AUD), where AUD 1 = USD 0.69 (June 2020). Complete sets of clinical parameters (primary patency loss, TLR, amputation, and death) and cost parameters from their respective distributions were bootstrapped in samples of 1,000 patients, for each intervention arm of the model. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.

At 12 months, modeled TLR rates were 4.5 percent for Eluvia and 8.9 percent for Zilver PTX, and mean total direct costs were AUD 6,537 [USD 4,511] and AUD 6,908 [USD 4,767], respectively (Eluvia average per patient savings; overall cohort=AUD 371 [USD 256]; diabetic cohort=AUD 625 [USD 431]). In probabilistic sensitivity analyses, Eluvia was cost-effective relative to Zilver PTX in 92.0 percent of all simulations at a threshold of $10,000 per TLR avoided. Eluvia was more effective and less costly (dominant) than Zilver PTX in 76.0 percent of simulations.

In the first year after the intervention, Eluvia was more effective and less costly than Zilver PTX, making Eluvia the dominant treatment strategy for treatment of symptomatic lower-limb PAD, from an Australian public healthcare system perspective. These findings should be considered when formulating policy and practice guidelines in the context of priority setting and making evidence-based resource allocation decisions for treatment of PAD in Australia.

Improving long-term outcomes like target lesions revascularizations (TLRs) is a focus for endovascular interventions aimed at treating symptomatic lower-limb peripheral arterial disease (PAD). EluviaTM, a paclitaxel-eluting drug-eluting stent (DES) was shown to further reduce TLRs when compared with the paclitaxel-coated Zilver® PTX® stent in the IMPERIAL trial, a global, randomized controlled study. This budget-impact evaluation investigated cost-savings from Eluvia-use when compared with Zilver PTX, relying on the 12- to 24-month outcomes from the IMPERIAL trial.

A budget-impact model comparing Eluvia and Zilver PTX was developed from the Australian public healthcare payer, and an individual hospital perspective, with a 5-year time-horizon. Observed trial results were applied to each year's incident population and associated costs, and no extrapolation was conducted. The analysis used publicly available Australian national hospital cost data, population estimates, procedural statistics, epidemiological literature, and data from public hospital audits to verify eligible population for endovascular procedures (EVP) including DES. All costs were captured in Australian dollars (AUD), where AUD 1 = USD 0.69 (June 2020).

Assuming 80-percent EVP eligibility, and a DES-use range of 10–28 percent, the 5-year model estimated potential national savings of AUD 4.3–12.1 million (M) [USD 3–8.3M] to the public healthcare payer, driven by reduced TLRs from Eluvia-use compared with Zilver-PTX. The model projected potential national savings of AUD 33.1–92.6M (USD 22.8–63.9M) to individual hospitals through reduced hospital bed days for adverse events (AE). The model forecasted 14,428–40,399 treated patients; 1,499–4,198 fewer TLRs; and 16,515–46,243 fewer hospital days for AE. At a state level, projected hospital savings were: New South Wales AUD 10.9–30.7M [USD 7.5–21.1M]; Victoria AUD 8.4–23.4M [USD 5.8–16.1M]; Queensland AUD 6.5–18.3M [USD 4.5–12.6M]; Western Australia AUD 3.4–9.5M [USD 2.3–6.5M]; South Australia AUD 2.3–6.4M [USD 1.6–4.4M].

Treatment of symptomatic lower-limb PAD with the Eluvia DES could lead to potential savings for the Australian healthcare system, at the national, state, and the local hospital level, based on improved patient outcomes.

Cell phones and information technology can be allies in the care of chronic diseases. Despite the wide availability of mobile device applications (apps), many offered by industry and providers, questions remain about the real efficacy of these technologies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of mobile device apps designed for use by outpatients in treatment for asthma and describe its main characteristics and functionalities.

A systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was conducted. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the adoption of mobile apps on Android or iOS systems compared to the usual care, published in the last five years. Asthma control rate was defined as the primary outcome, and visits to emergency departments, hospitalizations and adherence to pharmacological treatment were secondary outcomes.

Four RCTs (n = 415) met the inclusion criteria, two involving children and adults, and two only adults. Methodological quality was low to moderate. Common functionalities were asthma action plans, registration of the usual treatment, symptom diaries and educational alerts. Results were heterogeneous with respect to all outcomes evaluated. Study dropouts and lack of follow-up were frequent.

The clinical utility of mobile apps for asthma was evaluated in a few randomized studies; more data are necessary to establish the value of these technologies for asthma control.

Birth defects seriously affect children's survival and quality of life and bring great suffering and financial burden to children and their families. Down's syndrome is one of the most common birth defects. Compared with traditional serological screening methods, non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has higher sensitivity and specificity in the screening of Down's syndrome. In April 2017, the People's Government of Fuyang City, Anhui Province launched a NIPT free screening program. From the perspective of the beneficiary, this research investigated the awareness, willingness to pay and satisfaction of pregnant women in Fuyang City, Anhui Province, to better improve the use of NIPT.

A questionnaire survey was conducted on 1,221 pregnant women who experienced this program in Fuyang City, Anhui Province. Multivariate ordered logistic regression models were established to analyze the factors affecting the satisfaction of NIPT.

A total of 1,217 valid questionnaires were collected. Research indicated 82.5 percent knew about NIPT and 81.9 percent were willing to pay personally when its price was CNY 800 (USD 113.88) per test among pregnant women. The satisfaction of pregnant women with NIPT showed that the waiting time for test results was relatively low (4.5 out of 5 points) compared with other aspects of satisfaction. The higher the education level of the pregnant women, the lower their satisfaction with NIPT.

It is necessary to pay attention to the characteristics of education and to improve the awareness and satisfaction of NIPT among pregnant women. Meanwhile, if it is affordable enough for NIPT services to be provided by the government, this mode should be promoted. In conjunction with the willingness to pay of pregnant women, NIPT payment methods should be developed appropriately.

Hypothermia (core temperature <36°C) during major surgeries could result in a number of adverse events such as surgical site infection, bleeding, and prolonged hospital stay. The incidence of intraoperative hypothermia was 44.3 percent in China in 2015, with only 10.7 percent of patients receiving effective hypothermia prevention measures during major surgeries. By systematically examining the adverse risks for patients using different warming measures (active and passive), our study discussed the potential of bringing the most effective one(s) into clinical guidelines.

Articles, ongoing trials and grey literatures were retrieved from PubMed, The Cochrane Library and Clinical Trials till February 2019. Bair HuggerTM (BH) was determined to be the reference group and all randomized controlled trials including BH were included. In the control group, we kept all possible warming measures. Adverse effect indicators were decided using scoping reviews and then applied in literature screening. Type (open/endoscopic) and length of surgery were included in sub-group analysis.

A total of forty-two studies were included, with twenty-seven of them passive insulation measures and fifteen active measures. Compared with passive measures, BH had significant advantages, such as in surgical site infection (risk ratio [RR] = 0.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05, 0.80), chills (RR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.54) and hospitalization stay (mean difference [MD]=−1.27d, 95% CI: -2.05, -0.48). Compared with active insulation measures, BH had no significant advantages. Patients with open or longer surgeries (≥2 hours) experienced higher risks.

Generally, an active warming system is more effective in lowering risks (e.g., hypothermia, surgical site infection, chills, length of stay) than passive ones, especially for patients going through non-endoscopic or longer surgeries. Among the active warming systems, BH does the same job as other active insulation measures. Given that the practice of peri-operative hypothermia prevention using active warming systems is not popular in China, the use of BH and other active insulation measures during major surgeries are recommended to improve the safety and potentially reduce the cost of treating those clinical adverse events.

We reviewed the health technology assessment (HTA) guidelines for therapies targeting orphan conditions in four countries/regions in Asia.

A pragmatic literature search was conducted to identify and review key documents outlining reimbursement, pricing, and coverage policies in China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan.

Therapies for rare diseases in Japan and those for ultra-rare diseases in Korea are exempt from cost-effectiveness evaluations. Taiwan provides full financial coverage for rare disease therapies. China has no special considerations for rare diseases. Drugs included in the medical insurance list are reimbursed at varying levels depending on the “class” of the listing. Unlike prior variations at provincial levels for coverage of off-the-list drugs, new national policy has introduced consistency in coverage.

Access and reimbursement processes vary between markets in Asia. New HTA guidelines in Japan allow for easier access to therapies targeting rare diseases by eliminating cost-effectiveness analysis for price determination. On the other hand, a value dossier including an economic evaluation is necessary for rare diseases in Korea. However, manufacturers can provide risk-sharing schemes for rare diseases. China has not yet introduced any specific evaluations or reimbursement criteria for therapies targeting rare diseases. Policies for rare diseases are evolving rapidly to improve access and affordability.

It is difficult to generalize health technology assessment in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The lack of an outcomes evaluation system based on TCM theory is one of the important reasons. Studies conducted in menstruating women have shown that the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea varies from 45 to 95 percent. As a debilitating condition for many women, dysmenorrhea is one of the leading causes of absenteeism from school or work, which has a negative effect on quality of life (QoL). TCM has obvious advantages in treating dysmenorrhea. This study aimed to develop a dysmenorrhea QoL scale based on TCM theory.

We conducted focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with TCM gynecologists and patients, and adapted items from previously published scales. We generated an initial pool of forty-one items with eight domains. The Delphi method was used for preliminary item selection. Then, we administered the items to a sample of adolescent girls (n = 200). The distribution of survey items, discrete trend, factor analysis, correlation coefficient, and Cronbach's α coefficient were used to select items.

After two rounds of expert consultation, a total of thirty items were included in the dysmenorrhea QoL scale. And after sample analysis, four items' frequency distribution was skewed, five items' standard deviation (SD) was <0.8, four items' factor loading was <0.4, five items' score correlation coefficient with a related domain was <0.4, and three items’ deletion would cause their domain's Cronbach's α coefficient increased. The items were deleted when they met more than two above standards.

A total of twenty items with eight domains were included in the dysmenorrhea QoL scale. The methods to select the dysmenorrhea QoL scale items based on TCM theory were preferable. Given the paucity of research in this area, this new dysmenorrhea QoL scale may provide opportunities for patient-reported outcome evaluation in the field of TCM.

China is one of the twenty-seven countries with a high burden of Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the world. Of the new TB patients in China in 2017, about 63,000 are MDR-TB patients, accounting for one-third of the number of new MDR-TB patients worldwide.

In the latest “China's 13th Five-Year Plan” national TB prevention and control plan promulgated in 2017, it is clearly emphasized that all regions should gradually incorporate TB into the payment catalogue of special outpatient medical insurance, according to local conditions. However, for this special group of MDR-TB patients, there is no specialized prevention and control policy at the national level, and there are also blind spots in the medical security policy.

Responding to the drug needs of MDR-TB patients, it is necessary to provide patients with stable and affordable second-line anti-TB drugs. It is also necessary to understand the overall drug demand for second-line drugs nationwide to guide further policy formulation and budget research.

Through semi-structured group interviews and key informant interviews, five provinces and cities were investigated. Qualitative analysis was conducted based on stakeholder theory selected doctors and staff from Centers for Disease Control.

Through investigations in this study, problems like low purchasing price, insufficient purchasing volume, low drug supply efficiency, and monopoly producers were found. Through the analysis of roles and relationships among the major stakeholders in the second-line drug supply system, together with the motivation and resistance factors, it was found that all stakeholders have the motivation to solve the problem and face their dilemmas and obstacles at the same time.

Patients with MDR-TB still have difficulties in obtaining medicines. The interests of various stakeholders need to be balanced to improve drug accessibility and affordability. It is recommended to take advantage of the country's centralized procurement, encourage the development and listing of new anti-tuberculosis drugs and generic drugs, and improve the supervision system to ensure the supply of drugs to benefit more patients with tuberculosis.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), remarkable achievements have been made in poverty alleviation. Over the past five years, the population of people living in poverty had decreased by 68.53million, fallen from 98.99 million in 2012 to 30.46 million at the end of 2017. As an impoverished province, Hebei province has been implementing the CPC Central Committee's guidance in the battle against poverty. In 2016, the government released the Implementation Scheme Plan for Improving the Level of Medical Security and Assistance. The plan introduces multi-layer medical security and assistance mechanisms which covers basic medical insurance, major disease insurance and medical assistance. In 2017, the government formulated the Implementation Plan for the Three-Batch Action Plan on the Health Care Program for Poverty Alleviation in Hebei Province, for people with major disease. Hebei Province has carried out many explorations on the health care program for poverty alleviation, and its effectiveness is a problem worthy of attention.

Based on data including basic medical insurance, major illness insurance, medical assistance, and other related information, we used descriptive statistics and quantitative methods to evaluate the overall expenditure of the poverty alleviation for Hebei province and the areas under its jurisdiction. Additionally, the expenditure of different levels of medical security system, the medical burden for people facing poverty and the distribution of disease in the population with assistance were evaluated.

The out-of-pocket payment per capita has decreased year by year, and it has dropped to 3% of catastrophic medical expenditure and 20% below the poverty line by June 2018. An imbalanced situation occurred with the implementation, with the more impoverished areas having greater the pressure on medical care and poverty alleviation. For people with medical assistance, diseases with higher population and overall expenditure are cerebrovascular disease, malignant tumor, diabetes and some other chronic diseases.

The health policies for poverty alleviation in Hebei province has achieved a remarkable success, and the medical burden of the poor has been significantly reduced. However, the implementation of the policies in various cities has shown an imbalanced situation, and the poverty alleviation policies need to be further improved.