Health Technology Disinvestment in Singapore.

Health Technology Disinvestment in Singapore. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 2018 Aug;47(8):338-344 Authors: Lim BP, Heng BH, Tai HY, Tham L, Chua HC Abstract Healthcare decision-makers are constantly challenged by growing healthcare needs in tandem with rising healthcare costs. Disinvesting in technologies and practices that are "low in value" is one strategy to re-allocate limited resources to the most effective, safe and cost-effective technologies. We put forward a health technology reassessment framework and examined the opportunities and challenges on technology disinvestment in Singapore and deliberated on possible solutions. We coordinated and supported a disinvestment programme in 2 hospitals, 1 specialist centre and 9 primary care institutions in the public healthcare sector. The key processes were identifying, prioritising and assessing low-value health technologies and practices, disseminating and implementing disinvestment recommendations, and post-implementation evaluation. Through case studies, we explored the barriers and enablers to the success of the programme. One of the barriers to disinvestment included difficulty in demonstrating a lack of benefit of in-use technologies from published studies. Differing viewpoint and priority might preclude a healthcare leader's support in such initiatives and that posed an unsurmountable hurdle. On the other hand, engaging the stakeholder throughout the evidence review process and str...
Source: Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Ann Acad Med Singapore Source Type: research