Patients, families and carers

Why is health technology assessment important?

Health technology assessment ensures:

patients have timely access to safe, affordable and appropriate treatments for their condition
families and carers experience the benefits of technologies that allow the patient to participate in family and community life
members of the community are confident that government funds are spent appropriately.

The role of patients, families and carers

One of the central components of health technology assessment is understanding how health technologies impact patient care and outcomes. The Ministry may ask healthcare professionals to collect data from patients and carers on:

impact on quality of life
patient experience
length of hospital stay and admissions.

As a result, you may be asked to fill out a questionnaire and/or provide information on your experience of receiving care involving a new health technology.