Six years' experience with interdisciplinary review teams in health technology assessment in Norway

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of interdisciplinary review teams that have been the main and central work form in making health technology assessments at the Norwegian Centre for Health Technology Assessment.

Evaluation questionnaires were sent to all 112 participants in the 17 review teams for the period of January 1998 to June 2003 after completion of the literature assessment. Questions were on the theme/mandate of the assessments, composition of the review team, organization of the work, the working method, and update of the report.

The teams ranged from 4 to 14 persons regarded as opinion leaders in their field. The project periods lasted from 4 to 33 months. In all, fifty-five participants gave fifty-eight responses (51.8 percent) to the questionnaires. A total of 83 percent thought the theme was well argued, and 62 percent thought the mandate for the assessments was sufficiently clear. Approximately 80 percent were positive to the composition of the review team. In all, 22 percent expressed that the work method was too extensive and 43 percent wanted more tuition. General comments were that the working method gave competence in assessing medical literature, relevant professional training, and tuition in a working method that ensured the legitimacy of their work.

The review team participants were satisfied with most aspects of the work. The Norwegian Centre for Health Technology Assessment will continue using interdisciplinary review teams in making health technology assessments.