Advancing UHC through the use of HTA: The case of renal dialysis policy in the Philippines and Thailand
Led by Dr. Yot TeerawattananonSession Synopsis
This session will illustrate the role of health technology assessment (HTA) in advancing universal health coverage (UHC) through the lens of one intervention, renal dialysis. Used to treat End-stage renal disease (ESRD), a fatal condition, renal dialysis is an expensive intervention and can lead to impoverishment of households. Often initially excluded by countries implementing UHC programs, they have inevitably had to address the elephant in the room: whether to include renal dialysis in the UHC benefits package.
The Philippines, Singapore and Thailand are three countries that have implemented renal dialysis policies in the context of their UHC programs where it ranks among the highest reimbursable items. Their experiences highlight the importance of using evidence to inform policy for UHC from which several lessons can be learned. A sample of the issues that will be discussed during this session are: the impact of renal dialysis policies such as those which allow patients to have a free choice on the type of treatment, namely, haemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD), versus policies which specify which treatment modality will be reimbursable under the UHC scheme; the impact of well-intentioned policies that inadvertently have a detrimental effect on the health and pockets of patients; the social and ethical aspects of implementing renal dialysis policies; and the power of evidence in shaping medical practice in the long-term for the benefit of the population.
This session will set the stage for the visit to the National Kidney Foundation that will follow in the afternoon.
Session Format
Panel session with presentations followed by plenary discussion
Session Learning Objectives
- To learn about the practical application of HTA for UHC policy
- To understand the importance of addressing renal dialysis in a UHC program through country experiences from across Asia
- To experience practical issues and challenges in introducing universal renal dialysis policy in selected countries
- To facilitate discussion among LDP participants on the issue and leading them for the field visit in Singapore in the afternoon session.
Session Outlines
Introduction (10 mins)
- Context of using HTA for UHC
- Importance of renal dialysis in discussions on UHC
- Overview of the use of HTA in informing renal dialysis policies across the three countries
Country case studies: the Philippines and Thailand (20 mins each)
- Country context
- Background on UHC program and HTA
- Use of HTA for informing renal dialysis policy
- Key lessons from country experience
Open discussion (30 mins)
Conclusion (5 mins)
