Affiliations: Institute of Public Health, Man and Society &
National Research Centre for Cancer Rehabilitation, University of Southern
Denmark, Odense, Denmark | Centre for Applied Health Services Research and
Technology Assessment, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
Note: [] Corresponding author: Helle Ploug Hansen, Institute of Public
Health, Research Unit: Health, Man and Society & National Research
Centre for Cancer Rehabilitation, University of Southern Denmark, J.B.
Winsløwsvej 9b, Odense, Denmark. Tel.: +45 65502989; E-mail:
hphansen@health.sdu.dk
Abstract: There is an increasing focus on designing health services that are
`patient focussed'. This is also reflected in health technology assessment
(HTA), with a growing emphasize on patient perspectives and involvement. The
purpose of this article is to discuss why and how patient aspects may be
addressed in future HTAs'. While involving patients in the HTA process we argue
that the assessments of the included aspects must be based in research to
provide both relevant and valid results that can inform health policy decision
makers. Patient aspects need to be explored when a technology, the organisation
and/or economic aspects of a technology affect and influence patients in one
way or another. "Patients" are in this sense understood as; any current or
potential health service user or beneficiary of a health technology, and since
illness and the use of technology often involves the family, their perspectives
may also be included. When exploring patient aspects in relation to the use of
technology it is necessary to reflect on the modes of knowledge. It is
important that researchers bear in mind that their understanding of knowledge
always have implications in relation to the validity and scope of the research
results, they produce.
