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Implementing health technology assessment in Kuwait: a qualitative study of perceived barriers and facilitators

Part of: Special Collection - Methods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 November 2019

Basshar Darawsheh Open the ORCID record for Basshar Darawsheh [Opens in a new window]  and
Evi Germeni
Basshar Darawsheh*
Affiliation:
Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment (HEHTA), Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
Evi Germeni
Affiliation:
Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment (HEHTA), Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
*
Author for correspondence: Basshar Darawsheh, E-mail: b.darawsheh@hotmail.com
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Abstract

Objectives

This study sought to explore main barriers and facilitators to implementing health technology assessment (HTA) in Kuwait from the perspective of key stakeholders.

Methods

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with ten key stakeholders: seven healthcare providers working at various departments of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health (MOH), and three academics with substantial experience in teaching HTA or related fields. Interviews were conducted face-to-face, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic approach.

Results

Participating stakeholders reported several factors that might act as a barrier to building HTA in Kuwait: minimal awareness of HTA, lack of institutional and human capacity, a fragmented healthcare system, poor communication between researchers and policy makers, the country's wealth, politics, as well as data quality, availability, and sharing. Institutionalizing HTA as a politically empowered body, enforcing its recommendation by law, and benefiting from neighboring countries' experiences were suggested as possible ways to move forward.

Conclusion

Studies exploring the unique challenges that high-income developing countries may face in implementing HTA are still scarce. The results of this study are consistent with evidence coming from other developing countries, while also suggesting that the abundance of financial resources in the country is a double-edged sword; it has the potential to facilitate the development of HTA capacity, but also hinders recognizing the need for it.

Keywords

Qualitative researchHealth technology assessmentDeveloping countryKuwait
Type
Method
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 35 , Issue 6 , 2019 , pp. 422 - 426
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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