Developing mini-HTA to support evidence-based decision making in the Norwegian health services
4 affiliations
- 1Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway
- 2The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
- 3Østfold Hospital, Norway
- 4Norwegian Medical Products Agency, Norway
Abstract
Health technology assessment (HTA) has become an essential tool for supporting evidence-based decision making in health care systems worldwide. Comprehensive HTA reports, however, are resource-intensive and time-consuming, making them impractical for many decisions that need to be made at the local or institutional level. This gap has led to the development of more pragmatic approaches that aim to balance methodological rigor with feasibility. In Norway, this challenge was addressed through the introduction of mini-HTA, which is a structured, simplified, and context-specific decision-support tool to inform local or institutional decisions about introducing new technologies, procedures, or organizational innovations. Mini-HTA provides a standardized framework for evaluating clinical effectiveness, safety, organizational impact, ethical considerations, and economic consequences while remaining feasible for clinicians and managers to apply in practice. Several key insights emerge from our experience with developing and implementing mini-HTA in Norway. First, adapting HTA approaches to local decision-making contexts increases feasibility and uptake, particularly where time and resources are limited. Second, governance structures, including clear allocation of responsibilities and leadership engagement, are crucial for the consistent use of mini-HTA in practice. Third, the Norwegian experience illustrates how a shared but flexible tool can be applied across different levels of care, including both hospitals and municipalities, while still allowing for contextual adaptation. Finally, the use of mini-HTA as a platform for collaboration across sectors highlights its potential not only as a decision-support tool, but also as a mechanism for coordinating priorities and responsibilities across organizational boundaries.
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BibTeX
@article{arentzhansen2026developing,
title = {{Developing mini-HTA to support evidence-based decision making in the Norwegian health services}},
author = {Helene Arentz-Hansen and Hanne Marie Rostad and Vidar Jusnes Vang and Anna Stoinska-Schneider and Maria Bjerk},
journal = {International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1017/s0266462326103894},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1017/s0266462326103894},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Developing mini-HTA to support evidence-based decision making in the Norwegian health services
AU - Helene Arentz-Hansen
AU - Hanne Marie Rostad
AU - Vidar Jusnes Vang
AU - Anna Stoinska-Schneider
AU - Maria Bjerk
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/04
JO - International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care
DO - 10.1017/s0266462326103894
UR - https://doi.org/10.1017/s0266462326103894
AB - Health technology assessment (HTA) has become an essential tool for supporting evidence-based decision making in health care systems worldwide. Comprehensive HTA reports, however, are resource-intensive and time-consuming, making them impractical for many decisions that need to be made at the local or institutional level. This gap has led to the development of more pragmatic approaches that aim to balance methodological rigor with feasibility. In Norway, this challenge was addressed through the introduction of mini-HTA, which is a structured, simplified, and context-specific decision-support tool to inform local or institutional decisions about introducing new technologies, procedures, or organizational innovations. Mini-HTA provides a standardized framework for evaluating clinical effectiveness, safety, organizational impact, ethical considerations, and economic consequences while remaining feasible for clinicians and managers to apply in practice. Several key insights emerge from our experience with developing and implementing mini-HTA in Norway. First, adapting HTA approaches to local decision-making contexts increases feasibility and uptake, particularly where time and resources are limited. Second, governance structures, including clear allocation of responsibilities and leadership engagement, are crucial for the consistent use of mini-HTA in practice. Third, the Norwegian experience illustrates how a shared but flexible tool can be applied across different levels of care, including both hospitals and municipalities, while still allowing for contextual adaptation. Finally, the use of mini-HTA as a platform for collaboration across sectors highlights its potential not only as a decision-support tool, but also as a mechanism for coordinating priorities and responsibilities across organizational boundaries.
SN - 0266-4623
SN - 1471-6348
ER -