Economic evaluation of diagnostic technology. Methodological challenges and viable solutions

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Medical Decision Making
• Diagnostic Technology Assessment

Background:

• Economic evaluation is crucial for healthcare decisions, with growing evidence supporting its use.
• Current assessment methods for diagnostic technologies need refinement to improve accuracy and reliability.
• Methodological challenges are particularly pronounced in the economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive review of methodological challenges in the economic evaluation of diagnostic technology.
• To identify key areas for research and propose solutions to improve economic evaluation methods.
• To enhance the understanding and application of economic principles in healthcare policy and clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review focusing on methodological challenges in economic evaluation of diagnostic technology.
• Identification and prioritization of research areas based on the review findings.
• Development of proposed methodological solutions to address identified challenges.

Main Results:

• Four main research areas were prioritized: modeling complexity, opportunity cost of shared resources, eliciting utility functions for diagnostic tests, and assessing decision robustness.
• Methodological solutions are proposed to capture usually neglected elements and relationships in decision-making.
• Recognition of the inductive cognitive component in decision-making processes is highlighted.

Conclusions:

• Improvements in economic evaluation methods are essential for informed healthcare decisions, particularly for diagnostic technologies.
• Addressing identified methodological challenges will lead to more robust and reliable economic evaluations.
• The proposed solutions aim to enhance the accuracy and comprehensiveness of economic assessments in healthcare.