> Case study: META tool pilots with Bevan Health Tech Exemplars
Case Study

16 September, 2020

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Case study: META tool pilots with Bevan Health Tech Exemplars

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What did we do?

We trialled the HTW Scientific Advice Service with a cohort of Bevan Health Technology Exemplars (HTE), a group of innovative ideas chosen by the Bevan Commission to be turned into practice.

By engaging with the HTW Scientific Advice Service, the Bevan HTEs increased their awareness of the process and requirements of health technology assessment (HTA). There was a particular focus on the clinical and health economic evidence required to demonstrate that a new technology offers value to patients and healthcare systems.

The HTW Scientific Advice Service used the Medtech Early Technical Assessment (META) tool developed by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The META tool is an online platform to help technology developers optimise their plans. It provided a structured framework to help identify potential gaps in a product’s evidence base or evidence collection plans.

 

Who with?

HTW offered pilot META facilitation sessions to the cohort of Bevan Health Tech Exemplars in 2019. META tool assessments and reports were then completed for Project CHEETAH (CHolEcystEcTomy – Accelerated Hospital Management)

What were the reactions?

Project Cheetah welcomed discussions to the specific areas raised about their technologies through the structured META tool assessment. They were also interested in talks about evidence requirements and HTA processes more generally, too.

 

What did people learn?

The Bevan Health Tech Exemplars learned about the potential gaps in the current evidence base or evidence collection plans for their health technology.

Project CHEETAH was at an early stage of development and received advice on the key benefits that need to be captured in the evidence to demonstrate the value that it could offer to the NHS.

Helen Iliff, Lead for Project CHEETAH, said: “The process of the META Tool analysis really forced us to critically appraise all aspects of CHEETAH. It helped us identify areas of higher risk in terms of the health technology we are looking to introduce and those areas for which we needed to spend a bit more time understanding/getting further detail.”

 

What difference did this make?

The discussions around the current evidence bases highlighted areas for future development. The Bevan Health Tech Exemplars were better informed and could address the areas for development in their future research activities.

Helen Iliff, Lead for Project CHEETAH, said: “As a clinician it helped me understand the process and requirements of introducing a new health technology. To appreciate not only the clinical implications but also the legal requirements around such technologies. The process was incredibly valuable for myself and my technology partner.”