Creating sustainable health care systems

Area of Science:

• Health policy and systems research
• Health technology assessment
• Bioethics

Background:

• Sustainable health systems require effective prioritization of services.
• Health technology assessment (HTA) involves technical and social value judgments.
• Controversial prioritization decisions face legal, political, and public challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel method for stakeholder involvement in health prioritization.
• To encourage patient and public engagement in health decision-making processes.
• To foster acceptance of health prioritization needs and decisions.

Main Methods:

• Application of ethical and political theory, including accountability for reasonableness.
• Development of a practical values framework through multidisciplinary collaboration and international workshops.
• Testing the framework in England and New Zealand using a mixed-methods approach.

Main Results:

• A social values framework comprising content and process values was created.
• The framework was converted into an online decision-making audit tool.
• The tool is designed for ease of use by stakeholders.

Conclusions:

• An accessible method was developed to enhance understanding and involvement in health service prioritization.
• The framework harmonizes diverse perspectives to maximize health experience.
• This research aids health systems in responding to challenges of increasing demand and finite resources.