Health Technology Assessment
We conduct comprehensive health technology assessments to evaluate the , cost-effectiveness, and broader impact of health technologies and interventions aimed at addressing climate-water-health-related challenges. Our health technology assessments inform policy and investment decisions, ensuring that resources are allocated to the most promising and impactful solutions.
Evidence-Based Decision Making for Climate-Water Resilient Health Investments
ClimawaHealth's health technology assessment service provides a rigorous and systematic evaluation of the value, effectiveness, and impact of interventions, technologies, and strategies aimed at mitigating or adapting to health challenges driven by climate-water phenomena—such as floods, heatwaves, droughts, and waterborne disease outbreaks. Here’s how health technology assessment’s systematic, multidisciplinary process relates to climate-water-health concerns:
Clinical Effectiveness in Context
Health technology assessment can evaluate whether innovations (e.g., mobile disease surveillance systems, climate-resilient water purification units, early-warning platforms for heatwaves, or flood-proof healthcare infrastructure) actually improve health outcomes in environments increasingly affected by climate-water extremes.
Cost-Effectiveness and Resource Allocation
Health technology assessment assesses if investments in specific climate-water-adaptive technologies yield significant health benefits relative to their costs. For example, it can compare various water filtration methods or disease monitoring tools for cost-effectiveness in regions prone to climate-water driven outbreaks.
Safety and Implementation
Technologies need to be safe and practical in variable and challenging climate-water conditions. Health technology assessment examines how interventions hold up against hazards like power outages, water scarcity, or environmental degradation.
Broader Impacts
Beyond clinical and economic evaluation, health technology assessment looks at ethical, social, and organizational impacts. For instance, it can ensure that climate-water-response technologies are equitably distributed and culturally acceptable and that they do not inadvertently widen health disparities among vulnerable populations.
Policy and Adoption Decisions
Health technology assessment informs health policymakers and system leaders about which climate-water-health innovations provide the greatest value, helping guide the adoption, scaling, or modification of solutions.
Why is Health Technology Assessment Crucial in the Context of Climate-Water-related Health?
As the health impacts of climate-water change escalate, the need for innovative and cost-effective solutions becomes increasingly urgent. Health technology assessment plays a critical role in:
Identifying Promising Technologies
Evaluating the potential of new and emerging health technologies to address climate-water-related health threats.
Ensuring Value for Money
Determining whether health technologies represent a good investment, considering their costs, benefits, and potential impact on health outcomes.
Informing Policy Decisions
Providing evidence-based information to guide policy development and resource allocation related to climate-water adaptation and public health preparedness.
Promoting Equitable Access
Evaluating the potential impact of health technologies on health equity, ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to the solutions they need.
Driving Innovation
Encouraging the development of new and improved health technologies to address the challenges of climate-water change.
Meeting investment compliance standards
Meeting the standards set by investors for environment, social and governance initiatives, otherwise known as ESG.
Specific Technologies We Can Assess
Early Warning Systems: Heatwave warning systems, flood warning systems, and other climate-related alert systems
Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Water treatment facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, and healthcare facilities that can withstand extreme weather events
Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals: Vaccines for vector-borne diseases and other climate-sensitive infections, as well as medications for treating heat-related illnesses and respiratory diseases
Medical Devices: Portable water filters, air purifiers, and other devices that can protect people from climate-related health hazards
Digital Health Solutions: Telemedicine platforms, mobile health apps, and other digital tools that can improve access to healthcare and promote climate-resilient behaviors
Public Health Interventions: Vector control programs, health education campaigns, and other interventions that can reduce the burden of climate-water-related diseases
What Does Our Health Technology Assessment Service Involve?
Our health technology assessment service employs a multidisciplinary approach that integrates scientific evidence and ethical considerations. We take into account contextual and environmental factors, such as geographical variability, local care standards, and the existing landscape of health systems. To evaluate health technologies effectively, we utilize a range of methods and tools, including:
Problem Definition and Scope
Clearly defining the health problem being addressed by the technology and setting the scope of the assessment. Identifying the target population, intervention, comparator, and outcomes of interest (PICO framework).
Systematic Literature Review
Conducting a comprehensive and systematic review of the scientific literature to identify all relevant evidence on the effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of the technology using established methodologies to critically appraise the quality of the evidence.
Data Collection and Generation
Generating new data, such as conducting primary studies or collecting real-world evidence when data gaps exist.
Stakeholder Engagment
Engaging with key stakeholders, including patients, healthcare providers, policymakers, and payers, and soliciting their perspectives on the value, acceptability, and feasibility of the technology to incorporate their experiences, preferences, and values throughout the assessment process.
Clinical Effectiveness Assessment
Evaluating the clinical effectiveness of the technology based on the available evidence and assessing the magnitude of the treatment effect, the certainty of the evidence, and the potential for bias.
Development of Analytical Frameworks
Using logic models or conceptual frameworks to help clarify intervention components, pathways, and intended outcomes, which is especially important for assessing complex technologies or interventions.
Economic Evaluation
Conducting an economic evaluation to assess the cost-effectiveness of the technology compared to alternative interventions using methods such as cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), cost-utility analysis (CUA), and cost-benefit analysis (CBA). Considering all relevant costs and benefits, including direct medical costs, indirect costs, and health-related quality of life.
Budget Impact Analysis
Assessing the potential impact of the technology on healthcare budgets and estimating the additional costs and savings associated with implementing the technology at a population level.
Ethical, Social, and Legal Considerations
Evaluating the ethical, social, and legal implications of the technology and considering issues such as equity, access, privacy, and autonomy across different populations.
Organizational and Implementation Issues
Assessing the feasibility of implementing the technology in real-world settings, while considering factors such as infrastructure, staffing, training, and patient acceptance.
Quality Assurance and Peer Review
Reviewing internally and externally to ensure methodological rigor and transparency before findings are released.
Reporting and Dissemination
Preparing a comprehensive health technology assessment report that summarizes the findings of the assessment. Disseminating the results to relevant stakeholders through presentations, workshops, and publications.
Impact Monitoring and Post-Implementation Evaluation
Tracking the adoption, real-world performance, or broader system impact of technologies after initial recommendations, helping inform future assessments and policy adjustments.
Lifecycle Approach
Applying health technology assessment across the lifecycle of a health technology—at introduction, during maturity, and when reevaluating established interventions for ongoing relevance and value.