title: Health technology assessment in Canada.
abstract: Canada's health system is a unique combination of public financing and private provision. With the significant government role in financing health services, health technology assessment (HTA) has found a ready audience as a form of policy research. In addition, Canada has been a leader in HTA and is entering a phase of deepening and maturation of HTA activities. The relative absence of dramatic change in the overall health system, coupled with public faith in the Canadian approach has been favorable to HTA's development in Canada. Emerging issues, beyond the demographic and economic pressures facing all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development health systems, include the convergence of assessment modalities and organizations for drug and nondrug technologies, increasing public concerns about the viability of Canada's approach to healthcare services, and the transition of HTA from an activity targeting macro-level policy makers to a management tool for healthcare facilities and providers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Administration, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada. Renaldo.battista@umontreal.ca
authors.forename: Renaldo N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Battista
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Côté
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hodge
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Husereau
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical / Q000266:history* / Q000639:trends