January 27, 2026

The module, “Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment for Decision-Making that Saves Resources and Lives”, was specifically designed for participants preparing for managerial roles in the healthcare system. It focused on evidence-based medicine and conducting hospital-based health technology assessments.

The first speaker of the module was our director, Oksana Lebega – a physician and an expert in health care financing, policy, and planning. Her lecture focused on hospital-based health technology assessment (HB-HTA) as a decision-making tool that simultaneously saves resources and saves lives.

According to the current international definition, HTA is an interdisciplinary process aimed at determining the value of a health technology at different stages of its life cycle to support evidence-informed decisions for creating an effective and high-quality health care system.

A key message of the lecture was that waiting for “sufficient” financial resources makes little sense: resources have always been and will remain limited. Therefore, the main question is not how to save, but how to invest available resources as efficiently as possible, maximizing population health benefits.

Hospital-based HTA was presented as a practical tool for making decisions on expanding access to medical services while also protecting hospitals from inefficient investments. HTA represents a new managerial paradigm and a key instrument for improving health care financing. This involves not only analytical methods but also a shift in decision-making logic – from intuitive and fragmented approaches to systematic and evidence-based processes.

Special attention was paid to the role of hospitals in HTA. It is at the hospital level that decisions are made regarding the implementation, replacement, or discontinuation of medical technologies. HB-HTA refers to technology assessment activities adapted to the context of a specific institution, considering its clinical profile, cost structure, and staffing capabilities. It was emphasized that without understanding the concepts, principles, and methods of HTA, implementation in hospitals is impossible. HTA is a complex process that often encounters resistance from staff and management. Systematic work to overcome these barriers lays the foundation for sustainable change and requires training and the development of new managerial skills.

During her lecture, Ms. Lebega shared data on the practical effectiveness of hospital-based HTA. Experience from EU hospitals shows that recommendations generated through HB-HTA are considered by hospital leadership in over 90% of investment decisions, and in some institutions, this approach has resulted in substantial cost savings and a reduction in unnecessary medical interventions.

The value of a health technology is understood as a multidimensional concept, including clinical effectiveness, safety, costs, economic and financial impact, and organizational aspects. In hospital-based HTA, financial impact assessment is particularly important, addressing questions such as whether a hospital can afford a technology and what managerial actions could turn a negative decision into a positive one.

HB-HTA is an adapted form of system-level HTA. It is interdisciplinary by nature and can involve specialists without prior HTA experience but with competencies in biostatistics, epidemiology, economics, or data analysis. At the same time, it requires clearly defined procedures, ensuring a structured process, transparent interaction, and a focus on managerial outcomes.

The lecture on evidence-based medicine was delivered by clinical assessment expert Svitlana Solovioova. The session explored the contemporary understanding of evidence-based medicine as an approach combining scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values.

The module content emphasized the connection between evidence-based medicine and hospital-based HTA, demonstrating that decisions on medicines, medical devices, diagnostics, or organizational solutions should rely not only on financial or administrative considerations but also on systematic analysis of proven clinical effectiveness, safety, and appropriateness.

The course highlighted that, for health care institutions, evidence-based medicine serves as:

• A tool to improve the quality and safety of care

• A foundation for rational resource use

• A necessary component for implementing hospital-based HTA

Special emphasis was placed on the role of managers in creating an environment where evidence use becomes routine practice, rather than a one-off initiative. This involves not just clinical guidelines or protocols, but systematic integration of evidence-based approaches into planning, procurement, care organization, and performance evaluation.

Participation in teaching this module is seen as our contribution to shaping a new managerial culture in health care – a culture where decisions on technologies and services are evidence-driven rather than based on intuition or tradition.