Situation analysis of evidence-informed health decision-making in Lao PDR: the case of health technology assessmentResearch in context
Summary: Background: There is increasing interest in using evidence to inform policy in Lao PDR, which is in the process of establishing a unit for Health Technology Assessment (HTA). This situation analysis aims to explore the current landscape of evidence generation and translation into policy de...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-04-01
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| Series: | The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666606525000719 |
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| author | Sysavanh Phommachanh Manit Sittimart Aparna Ananthakrishnan Souphaphone Vongsack Soudavanh Soysouvanh Elizabeth A. Ashley Yot Teerawattananon Saudamini Vishwanath Dabak Mayfong Mayxay |
| author_facet | Sysavanh Phommachanh Manit Sittimart Aparna Ananthakrishnan Souphaphone Vongsack Soudavanh Soysouvanh Elizabeth A. Ashley Yot Teerawattananon Saudamini Vishwanath Dabak Mayfong Mayxay |
| author_sort | Sysavanh Phommachanh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Background: There is increasing interest in using evidence to inform policy in Lao PDR, which is in the process of establishing a unit for Health Technology Assessment (HTA). This situation analysis aims to explore the current landscape of evidence generation and translation into policy decisions in Lao PDR using the case of HTA. Methods: A mixed methods approach was applied. Self-administered questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were conducted with different stakeholder groups. Data were analysed thematically and summarised in tabular form. Findings: There were 212 responses to the survey and 38 stakeholders were interviewed between March and September 2021. The health policy decision process in Lao PDR is based on consultation meetings, influenced by external experts and/or companies, without consistent use of evidence. There remains a lack of human resource and infrastructure for health evidence to inform policy. Two-thirds of the respondents to the survey strongly agreed that HTA helps in efficient allocation of health resources and improving quality of healthcare. Half of the respondents perceived that HTA can impact the government budget and transparency, which was consistent with findings from the qualitative data. Use of economic considerations was limited in Lao PDR. HTA was seen to apply to policy areas, notably for reimbursement. Only a few organisations can supply health evidence and HTA output, and more training and multi-disciplinary collaboration is needed to conduct and produce HTA and other health evidence to inform policy in Lao PDR. Funding for HTA remains a concern. Interpretation: Improvement of the health policy decision process is urgently needed in Lao PDR. Limited capacity to conduct HTA as well as institutional considerations need to be addressed. Recent efforts towards this end through the establishment of a unit focused on HTA, capacity building activities and international collaborations are promising to establish evidence-informed priority setting for health policy and can also benefit from regional efforts in this direction. This type of approach to assess the situation for evidence use will be beneficial for other countries embarking on this path. Funding: Wellcome Trust, the United Kingdom Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f8da2f13d8de4a2a91cded2de11a6df6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2666-6065 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific |
| spelling | doaj-art-f8da2f13d8de4a2a91cded2de11a6df62025-08-20T03:05:24ZengElsevierThe Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific2666-60652025-04-015710153410.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101534Situation analysis of evidence-informed health decision-making in Lao PDR: the case of health technology assessmentResearch in contextSysavanh Phommachanh0Manit Sittimart1Aparna Ananthakrishnan2Souphaphone Vongsack3Soudavanh Soysouvanh4Elizabeth A. Ashley5Yot Teerawattananon6Saudamini Vishwanath Dabak7Mayfong Mayxay8Unit for Health Evidence and Policy, Institute for Research and Education Development, University of Health Sciences, Lao PDRHealth Intervention and Technology Assessment Program Foundation (HITAP), Nonthaburi, ThailandHealth Intervention and Technology Assessment Program Foundation (HITAP), Nonthaburi, ThailandUnit for Health Evidence and Policy, Institute for Research and Education Development, University of Health Sciences, Lao PDRUnit for Health Evidence and Policy, Institute for Research and Education Development, University of Health Sciences, Lao PDRLao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao PDR; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United KingdomHealth Intervention and Technology Assessment Program Foundation (HITAP), Nonthaburi, Thailand; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, SingaporeHealth Intervention and Technology Assessment Program Foundation (HITAP), Nonthaburi, Thailand; Corresponding author. Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program Foundation (HITAP), Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, 6th Floor, 6th Building, Tiwanon Rd., Muang, Nonthaburi, 11000, Thailand.Unit for Health Evidence and Policy, Institute for Research and Education Development, University of Health Sciences, Lao PDR; Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao PDR; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, SingaporeSummary: Background: There is increasing interest in using evidence to inform policy in Lao PDR, which is in the process of establishing a unit for Health Technology Assessment (HTA). This situation analysis aims to explore the current landscape of evidence generation and translation into policy decisions in Lao PDR using the case of HTA. Methods: A mixed methods approach was applied. Self-administered questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were conducted with different stakeholder groups. Data were analysed thematically and summarised in tabular form. Findings: There were 212 responses to the survey and 38 stakeholders were interviewed between March and September 2021. The health policy decision process in Lao PDR is based on consultation meetings, influenced by external experts and/or companies, without consistent use of evidence. There remains a lack of human resource and infrastructure for health evidence to inform policy. Two-thirds of the respondents to the survey strongly agreed that HTA helps in efficient allocation of health resources and improving quality of healthcare. Half of the respondents perceived that HTA can impact the government budget and transparency, which was consistent with findings from the qualitative data. Use of economic considerations was limited in Lao PDR. HTA was seen to apply to policy areas, notably for reimbursement. Only a few organisations can supply health evidence and HTA output, and more training and multi-disciplinary collaboration is needed to conduct and produce HTA and other health evidence to inform policy in Lao PDR. Funding for HTA remains a concern. Interpretation: Improvement of the health policy decision process is urgently needed in Lao PDR. Limited capacity to conduct HTA as well as institutional considerations need to be addressed. Recent efforts towards this end through the establishment of a unit focused on HTA, capacity building activities and international collaborations are promising to establish evidence-informed priority setting for health policy and can also benefit from regional efforts in this direction. This type of approach to assess the situation for evidence use will be beneficial for other countries embarking on this path. Funding: Wellcome Trust, the United Kingdom Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666606525000719Lao PDRHealth policyHTAEvidence-informed decision makingPriority setting |
| spellingShingle | Sysavanh Phommachanh Manit Sittimart Aparna Ananthakrishnan Souphaphone Vongsack Soudavanh Soysouvanh Elizabeth A. Ashley Yot Teerawattananon Saudamini Vishwanath Dabak Mayfong Mayxay Situation analysis of evidence-informed health decision-making in Lao PDR: the case of health technology assessmentResearch in context The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific Lao PDR Health policy HTA Evidence-informed decision making Priority setting |
| title | Situation analysis of evidence-informed health decision-making in Lao PDR: the case of health technology assessmentResearch in context |
| title_full | Situation analysis of evidence-informed health decision-making in Lao PDR: the case of health technology assessmentResearch in context |
| title_fullStr | Situation analysis of evidence-informed health decision-making in Lao PDR: the case of health technology assessmentResearch in context |
| title_full_unstemmed | Situation analysis of evidence-informed health decision-making in Lao PDR: the case of health technology assessmentResearch in context |
| title_short | Situation analysis of evidence-informed health decision-making in Lao PDR: the case of health technology assessmentResearch in context |
| title_sort | situation analysis of evidence informed health decision making in lao pdr the case of health technology assessmentresearch in context |
| topic | Lao PDR Health policy HTA Evidence-informed decision making Priority setting |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666606525000719 |
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