Case study: assessing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The GVHS experience

Delayed assessment and eager adoption of laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Implications for developing surgical technologies

Despite the prevailing emphasis in the medical literature on establishing evidence, many changes in the practice of surgery have not been achieved using proper evidence-based assessment. This paper examines the adoption of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) into regular use for the treatment of cholecystitis and the process of its acceptance, focusing on the limited role of technology assessment in its appraisal. A review of the published medical literature concerning LC was performed. Approximately 3000 studies of LC have been conducted since 1985, and there have been nearly 8500 publications to date. As LC was adopted enthusiastically into practice, the results of outcome studies generally showed that it compared favorably with the traditional, open cholecystectomy with regard to mortality, complications, and length of hospital stay. However, despite the rapid general agreement on surgical technique, efficacy, and appropriateness, there remained lingering doubts about safety, outcomes, and cost of the procedure that suggested that essential research questions were ignored even as the procedure became standard. Using LC as a case study, there are important lessons to be learned about the need for important guidelines for surgical innovation and the adoption of minimally invasive surgical techniques into current clinical and surgical practice. We highlight one recent example, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery and how necessary it is to properly evaluate this new technology before it is accepted as a safe and effective surgical option.

Devolving healthcare delivery to regional health authorities: is health technology assessment prepared to follow?

Since the establishment of health technology assessment units in the latter 1980s, Canada has witnessed an unprecedented transformation of the governance, management and service delivery of its healthcare system. In Alberta, this transformation culminated in the establishment of regional health authorities that provide integrated healthcare to Albertans. With the shift of responsibility for healthcare delivery from the provincial to the regional level, the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research HTA unit recognized that for health technology assessment to continue to be relevant, it must follow this change. Four steps were taken to refocus the unit's scope: a thorough analysis of the healthcare environment; face-to-face interviews with the chief executive officers of the regions; the development of a framework for HTA in the regions; and the organization of a conference on evidence-based decision making. These steps were helpful in bringing HTA to the attention of regional decision makers. A formal, analytical assessment of the regional healthcare environment, provision of general information (through the framework and conference) and individual information (through face-to-face interviews) enabled a proactive engagement with regions. However, to meet the demands and needs of a population that expects comprehensive coverage that delivers "state of the art" diagnostics and treatments, the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions can sometimes be of subordinate importance.