What local experts expect from a health technology assessment (HTA) entity in Saudi Arabia: workshop conclusions

ABSTRACT

Objectives

Saudi Arabia is undergoing a massive health-care transformation to fulfill its new, national ‘Vision 2030.’ To align with this objective, Saudi Arabia is establishing a new, independent and evidence-based health technology assessment (HTA) entity to help it maximizes health gains through efficient use of resources. This study was designed to ascertain how local experts perceive the creation of such a national HTA entity in Saudi Arabia; what they think about it and expect from it.

Methods

To achieve study aim, we held two workshops in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, each lasting three and a half hours and each hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH). We invited 26 local experts from a variety of professional backgrounds to discuss the establishment of a national HTA entity.

Results

The findings from experts workshops were structured around four axes, namely vision and remit; services provided and technologies covered; process and method; and implementation and practical considerations.

Conclusion

This paper discusses the findings of the local experts convened at the workshops relative to their expectations for and views about a national HTA entity within Saudi Arabia.

KEYWORDS:

• Health technology assessment
• policy
• strategy
• local experts
• Saudi Arabia
• Vision 2030
• workshop

Article highlights

• HTA in Saudi Arabia is essential to enable the consistent, harmonized coverage of health technologies across regions and hospitals.

• HTA in Saudi Arabia should focus on high-impact technologies.

• Experts felt that it would be important to focus on core HTA services such as HTA reports and horizon scanning.

• Experts highlighted on the importance of deliberation in providing the right context for more analytical methods of assessment.

• HTA should establish strong partnerships, within a clear governance framework, with existing entities such as the SFDA, the SHC, leading hospitals and Ministry functions.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank A.T. Kearney for their involvement in preparing and moderating the workshops, and for their valuable contribution to this article.

Author Contributions

All authors were involved in the conception and design of the study. HA, and AA performed the analysis and all authors interpreted the data. HA drafted the initial manuscript and AA, and IA critically revised the manuscript draft. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript and are accountable for all aspects of the work.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer Disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.