Patient preferences in HTA: ISPOR Europe 2018 Issue Panel
The PREFER project was well represented at the latest ISPOR Europe Congress in Barcelona on 10-14 November, 2018. We presented four posters with results from the project. And organised one Issue Panel on the use of patient preferences in Health Technology Assessment (HTA).
Posters included presentations about 1) focus groups the project has conducted to find out how stakeholders want patient preference studies to be designed, conducted and used, 2) different assessment criteria for decisions, 3) educational and psychological tools, and 4) the preference methodologies we have identified for testing.
The Issue Panel organized by the project focused on the use of patient preferences in Health Technology Assessment (HTA). The session was moderated by Eline van Overbeeke, PhD student at KU Leuven. Panelists included David Mott (Evidera), Marco Petschulies (G-BA) and Ken Mastris (ECPC), who presented three different perspectives: the academic, HTA, and patient outlooks on this issue. The panelists discussed if, when and how patient preferences can be taken into account in HTA. The panelists helped identify a number of different barriers that prevent the integration of patient preferences in HTA.
(Image removed) From the left: David Mott, Marco Petschulies and Eline van Overbeeke.
At the beginning of the session, the audience was asked if patient preferences should be taken into account in HTA. The vast majority (89%) said yes to taking patient preferences into account always, or often. After the panelists had presented, the audience was asked about the barriers the panelists had presented. They believed the main barriers to be operational (54%), which in this case meant that the possible ways to include patient preferences in the HTA process are unclear and unstructured. Many attendees also thought that the methodological barriers were important (48%), meaning barriers or obstacles that relate to preference study design and conduct.
The organisers want to thank all who helped set the stage for, and contributed to, the discussion. Special thanks to David Mott, Marco Petschulies and Ken Mastris for sharing their insights! The PREFER project looks forward to continue contributing to the discussions on the use of patient preferences in HTA!
By Eline van Overbeeke
(Image removed) Answers from 46 ISPOR Europe Issue Panel attendees
(Image removed) Answers from 51 ISPOR Europe Issue Panel attendees