Proposal for capturing patient experience through extended value frameworks of health technologies

Area of Science:

• Health Technology Assessment (HTA)
• Patient-Centered Care
• Value Frameworks

Background:

• Patient experience (PEx) is crucial in health technology assessment (HTA), but current global frameworks lack a standardized method for its consistent and fair inclusion.
• Manufacturers and decision-makers require a harmonized approach to integrate PEx considerations effectively into HTA processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a structured proposal for incorporating patient experience (PEx) into health technology assessment (HTA) frameworks.
• To establish clear value domains and measures for evaluating PEx within HTA.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) of 61 existing value frameworks (VFs) and multi-criteria decision analyses (MCDAs) to assess current PEx integration.
• Developed and refined five potential PEx domains through an iterative process involving HTA experts and patient representatives.
• Validated proposed PEx domains and implementation strategies with a panel of international payer experts.

Main Results:

• The SLR revealed that PEx is often superficially addressed in existing VFs and MCDAs, lacking clear definitions.
• Five proposed PEx domains were developed: responsiveness to needs, health literacy/empowerment, patient-reported outcomes, financial burden, and access for vulnerable populations.
• A flexible implementation approach for integrating these PEx domains into HTA was proposed.

Conclusions:

• The proposed PEx domains offer a formalized method for assessing patient experience within healthcare decision-making.
• These domains can enhance existing VFs or form the basis for new PEx-focused frameworks, leading to more holistic value assessment tools.