IntroductionIndia has introduced health technology assessment (HTA) as a tool for improving the allocation of health resources. The core mandate of HTA in India (HTAIn) is to undertake critical appraisal of available technologies, identify cost-effective interventions, and help the government pursue evidence-informed decisions regarding public health expenditures. We conducted a systematic review to assess economic evaluation studies published in the last four years from India.MethodsEconomic evaluations published from September 2015 to September 2019 were identified by searching various databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and CINAHL according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline. Cost-effectiveness studies and HTAs reported or conducted in India were included. Two independent reviewers performed the final selection of studies by assessing the full-text articles and conducted the data extraction. Differences of opinions were resolved through discussion and mutual consensus.ResultsAfter screening 2,837 articles, seventy met the inclusion criteria and were selected. The articles predominantly used secondary data (70%) to evaluate the cost effectiveness of an innovation. Among the technologies assessed, fifty-seven percent were curative in nature and most commonly addressed infectious diseases (27%), closely followed by non-communicable diseases, and maternal and child health. Principally, the cost effectiveness of a technology was expressed in terms of disability-adjusted or quality-adjusted life-years. Only two studies reported negative findings.ConclusionsHTA can play a pivotal role in equipping policy makers and public health payers to make appropriate decisions for healthcare budget allocations when mapped with the true disease burden of the population. It is important to highlight negative results and to create a national repository of HTA studies to facilitate faster adoption of best practices in India.

Background: HAIs impart a huge clinical and economic burden in India. Healthcare worker’s compliance to hand hygiene protocol can play an important role in preventing the transmission of cross-infection and thus reducing the HAIs. Over last few years, there has been a wide use of ultraviolate (UV) based fluorescent markers for assessing quality of hand hygiene. This Health Technology Assessment (HTA) study will be conducted with the aim to identify low cost, easy and feasible strategy having potential to get integrated in the current health system to deal with issue of HAI in ICU settings.Methods: The study will be conducted in three phases. The impact of innovation on hand hygiene compliance will be assessed quantitatively by undertaking meta-analysis of secondary literature on UV based imaging tool in improving hand hygiene compliance in ICUs. Following this, the feasibility of using this innovation in developing country like India will be assessed. Decision Analytic modelling will be conducted for cost-effectiveness analysis using health systems perspective. Cost per ICU stay (day) and QALY gained will be calculated and ICER will be reported to comment on the cost-effectiveness of the innovation.Discussion: The HTA study will provide a comprehensive overview of the effectiveness of UV light based imaging device in reduction of HAIs. The results of this HTA study will generate evidence for the decision makers for its incorporation in public healthcare system of India.Systematic review registration: The protocol has been registered in Prospero (Prospero Id: CRD42018108960)

IntroductionThe Health and Family Welfare Department of the Government of Gujarat is implementing a program called Technology for Community Health Operation (TeCHO+) to address the state's priority health issues. This paper details the protocol for using health technology assessment to assess the impact of the TeCHO+ program on data quality, service delivery coverage, rates of morbidity and mortality, and cost effectiveness.MethodsThis mixed-method study will be conducted in five districts. Data will be validated in a phased manner over a three-year period, along with an assessment of key outcome indicators. Additionally, key informant interviews will be conducted and cost data will be gathered.ResultsEarly implementation of TeCHO+ has highlighted mixed impact at an operational level, with gaps in implementation. Despite some gaps in the available evidence, TeCHO+ solutions can significantly improve health service delivery through increased accuracy of data management, high-risk identification, and quality and accessibility of care. However, implementation challenges require even greater efforts to establish comprehensive systems for troubleshooting and corrective measures for improving data quality. Positive experiences encourage grassroots teams for continuing the use of TeCHO+.ConclusionsTeCHO+ is expected to improve service coverage and reduce rates of morbidity and mortality by improving the population's nutritional status, the timeliness of care for high-risk cases, and the non-communicable disease profile of the community.