From: Health care priority setting: principles, practice and challenges
Point to consider | Ideal time to address | Rationale |
---|---|---|
Strategically select the first PBMA exercise in a health organization in an area where there is a confirmed champion and an 'easy-win' | Prior to specific applications being selected | Need champion for group buy-in and follow-through of recommendations; early success will aid in the organizational uptake of the approach |
Use an introductory session to communicate underlying economic concepts and specifically what the application plan is | At the outset of the process | Panel members have to understand opportunity cost for buy-in; provides opportunity to adjust the plan early on |
Advisory panel meetings held at 2–4 week intervals | Throughout the PBMA process | Need adequate time to review literature and do background work but do not want a drawn out process; complete in < 6 months |
Consider using one-on-one meetings with advisory panel members to identify options for resource release | When discussing options for resource release | Not all members will feel comfortable presenting a view in the larger group |
Put less emphasis on having all the 'data' to support a decision and more on drawing out opinions from the expert group | Particularly in the later sessions of the process | Data can only take the group so far and can be used as a crutch not to make a decision; ultimately group need to have confidence in making their own recommendations |
Earmark resources (i.e. staff time) to enact the panel recommendations | Stated at the outset, carried out following the exercise | Recommendations by themselves will not see action without dedicated resources to move them forward |
Reliance on 'softer' forms of evidence to support process such as expert opinions and qualitative research, particularly when 'hard' evidence is not available | Throughout PBMA process | This is the type of information decision makers are familiar with and which is often available in practice |
Tap into public for development of criteria on which decisions are to be based | At the outset of the process | Public may not have technical knowledge to make specific trade-offs but certainly can offer valuable insight on values and specific criteria |