About Symposium

The International EBHC Symposium is a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience for researchers, clinicians, decision-makers, representatives of reimbursement agencies, the medical industry and patient organizations, which has been in existence for 20 years. Its interdisciplinary and international nature emphasizes the growing role of scientific evidence as a common language of dialogue in healthcare. In the face of increasing digitalization and the growing importance of cost-effectiveness, the Symposium is an important reference point for the future of HTA and EBM - both in the region and globally.

Given the growing complexity of healthcare systems and the dynamic development of medical innovations, health technology assessment (HTA) is evolving towards a multilevel approach (multilevel HTA). This concept addresses the need to integrate decision-making perspectives operating at various levels – from global and European, through national, regional and local, and even individual healthcare providers. Where decisions directly impacting patients and the organization of care are made, not only data is crucial but also its proper preparation for decision-makers. While digitalization already enables the mass collection of all data, drawing conclusions from it and making optimal long-term decisions still requires significant work and collaboration among all healthcare system stakeholders.

Multilevel HTA enables better use of available data and tailoring recommendations to the specifics of the organization and medical technology. Simultaneous adaptation to decision-making time can lead to increased process consistency and efficiency. In the context of international cooperation, including initiatives such as the HTA Regulation in the European Union, this approach is becoming crucial for harmonizing methodologies while maintaining implementation flexibility at the national and local levels. At the national level, it is important to create networks of collaboration not only between individual central institutions. Due to the high degree of diversity in care, monitoring the actual progress of activities at the provider level may prove crucial.

During the 21st EBHC Symposium, we want to focus on the practical aspects of implementing multilevel HTA, identifying barriers, and sharing the experiences of various stakeholders – from HTA agencies, through policymakers, clinicians, and patient representatives. We will pay particular attention to the role of real-world data (RWE), adaptive assessment pathways, and mechanisms for collaboration between system levels.

We believe that the development of multilevel HTA represents a significant step towards more responsive, transparent, and evidence-based healthcare systems that more effectively address patient needs and the challenges of modern medicine.

The program of the 21st EBHC Symposium includes six thematic sessions addressing key challenges facing the modern healthcare system.

1. 1. Crisis or paradigm shift in the concept of healthcare
   2. Development of HTA in Europe
   3. HTA: from recommendations to implementation in clinical practice
   4. Equity, value, and need: multidimensional assessment of health interventions
   5. Public health – is it still Evidence-Based?
   6. Does the patient perspective change the final assessment of health technology in the HTA process?

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