Uncertainty inclusion in budgeting technology adoption at a hospital level: Evidence from a multiple case study

Emanuele Lettieri

Health Policy, 2009, vol. 93, issue 2-3, 128-136

Abstract: Objectives The shortage of resources for healthcare has risen the quest for more rational models and practices for technology selection at a hospital level. Uncertainty is a critical issue. This paper aims to shed first light on this issue through an investigation on the content and the process of budgeting technology adoption with respect to uncertainty.Methods An exploratory multi-case study was carried out to gain a better understanding of the current practice of technology assessment at a hospital level. Five Italian hospitals were selected. Key informants from the budget committees have been interviewed with a structured questionnaire based on the results of an electronic literature search.Results Five domains of uncertainty have been identified. They have been deployed in a list of 15 relevant issues that should be reviewed during the budget process. The hospitals in the sample cope with these issues in a peculiar manner. Organisational uncertainty is broadly overcome. Reporting about technology performance after the adoption is missing.Conclusion Policy makers should facilitate hospitals: (a) to develop a multi-disciplinary and evidence based practice for technology selection, (b) to assess and manage uncertainty, and (c) to build a reporting system regarding technology performance in order to build fair practices for technology selection and support continuous learning.

Keywords: Priority; setting; Health; technology; assessment; Decision; making; Uncertainty; Capital; intensive; medical; technology; Hospital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168-8510(09)00175-4
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:93:y:2009:i:2-3:p:128-136

Access Statistics for this article

Health Policy is currently edited by Katrien Kesteloot, Mia Defever and Irina Cleemput

More articles in Health Policy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu () and ().