Innovation-related Health Technology Assessment of Cardiovascular Implants

(Dr. A. Gerhardus/ Dr. Chr. Krauth, Division Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health System Research, MHH; Email: Gerhardus.Ansgar@mh-hannover.de / Krauth.Christian@mh-hannover.de)

This project plays a particular structural role within the Centre of Competence. It utilises the expertise of the Department of Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health System Research (MHH) to methodically gather knowledge of pre-market technology assessments through case-related assessments of the Competence Centre's own innovative technologies.

Early surveys such as these are extremely important for industrial partners and potential financial backers. It must also be borne in mind that these assessments go beyond the market analysis approach of a marketing department, because this project also analyses relevant aspects of medicine, economics, ethics, the health system and patient prospects using scientific methods like the "Analytic Hierarchy Process" (AHP), "Scenario Technique" and "Decision-Analysis".

These pre-market evaluations offer the possibility of timely revisions (e.g. to the point of termination or acceleration of developments) during specific developmental stages. The significance of the evaluation can be derived from the product development itself as well as from socio-political developments.