Evolution of Health Technology Assessment in Indonesia: Supply Landscape, Implementation, and Future Directions

Area of Science:

• Health Policy and Systems Research
• Health Technology Assessment (HTA)
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Indonesia established the Indonesian Health Technology Assessment Committee (InaHTAC) in 2014 to guide evidence-based healthcare technology prioritization for national insurance.
• The process for approving and accessing healthcare technology in Indonesia is complex, involving multiple stakeholders and evaluation principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of Indonesia's healthcare technology supply landscape.
• To assess the impact of HTA studies on priority-setting decisions.
• To identify challenges and propose solutions for Indonesia's HTA system.

Main Methods:

• Commentary based on the current state of health technology assessment in Indonesia.
• Analysis of the decision-making process for healthcare technology approval and patient access.
• Review of existing HTA ecosystem development efforts and remaining challenges.

Main Results:

• Indonesia's HTA system faces significant challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, financial constraints, limited technical capacity, and insufficient stakeholder engagement.
• The current HTA unit's affiliation with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and industry pressures can lead to delayed or disregarded recommendations.
• Despite capacity-building and guideline issuance, the HTA ecosystem requires further development.

Conclusions:

• An independent and robust HTA body is crucial for informing policymakers on health technology development, licensing, and utilization.
• Strong regulations are needed to ensure stakeholder harmonization and coordination.
• A systematic approach is required to address resource limitations and enhance the overall effectiveness of Indonesia's HTA system for improved healthcare access.