Improving health and spending money wisely: evaluating medical tests, devices, procedures for the Australian Government

Impact: Health impacts, Economy impacts, Policy impacts

Description of impact *

The Australian Government considers safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness when deciding which new diagnostic tests, medical devices and procedures to fund and at what price. In 2019, MUCHE won a competitive tender to become an independent evaluator of such medical technologies.

Since then, we have considered 7 technologies: 4 diagnostic tests, 2 medical devices and 1 medical procedure:
•Developed the Scope (patient population, new technology, current technology and patient outcomes) for the assessment of each of the 7 technologies (25-55 pages per report).
•Assessed the safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness for 2 of the 7 technologies (330 and 425 pages).
•Reviewed the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness as assessed by other researchers for 2 of the 7 assessments (193 and 276 pages).

We work to tight deadlines (8 to 20 weeks), and we discuss our work at the relevant national Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) meetings. Our reports are central to helping the Minister for Health decide which technologies should be publicly funded, as the MSAC advises the Minister. In this way, our work has directly affected the lives of thousands of Australians. Of the seven health technologies, MSAC recommended 3, did not recommend 1, and has not yet decided on 3.

The sums of money involved are very substantial, typically many million dollars for each technology. Selective access to new safe, effective, and cost-effective technologies helps to increase the life expectancy and quality of life of patients, whilst ensuring money is spent wisely.
Impact date2019 → 14 Feb 2022
Category of impactHealth impacts, Economy impacts, Policy impacts
Impact levelBenefit (mid)

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