All Resources

AHTDP review summary : transoral robotic surgery, 2017

Description

Oropharyngeal cancer is a malignant tumour that can metastasize to other parts of the body. The most influential risk factor for this disease is tobacco smoking. One of the treatment options for... More ≫

Description

Oropharyngeal cancer is a malignant tumour that can metastasize to other parts of the body. The most influential risk factor for this disease is tobacco smoking. One of the treatment options for this cancer is transoral robotic surgery (TORS). This resource summarizes the findings of a review of research comparing the efficacy of TORS to other treatment options.

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Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma : mini review

Description

Kidney cancer is a malignant tumour that starts in the cells of the kidney, but can metastasize to other parts of the body. Robotic partial nephrectomy (RAPN) is one of several surgical treatment... More ≫

Description

Kidney cancer is a malignant tumour that starts in the cells of the kidney, but can metastasize to other parts of the body. Robotic partial nephrectomy (RAPN) is one of several surgical treatment options. The purpose of this study was to assess health and resource-related outcomes for RAPN compared to conventional surgical approaches for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.

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Robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) : final report

Description

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Canadian men. One of the surgical treatment options for prostate cancer is robot-assisted... More ≫

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Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Canadian men. One of the surgical treatment options for prostate cancer is robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). This report summarizes the findings and conclusions of a systematic review of the safety and effectiveness of RALP for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer.

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Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) : mini-review

Description

Oropharyngeal cancer is a malignant tumour that can metastasize to other parts of the body. The most influential risk factor for this disease is tobacco smoking. One of the treatment options for... More ≫

Description

Oropharyngeal cancer is a malignant tumour that can metastasize to other parts of the body. The most influential risk factor for this disease is tobacco smoking. One of the treatment options for this cancer is transoral robotic surgery (TORS). The purpose of this study was to assess health and resource-related outcomes for TORS compared to conventional open surgery, transoral laser microsurgery, radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of oropharyngeal carcinoma by conducting a systematic review of published peer-reviewed studies. Additional information was obtained from the literature on surgeon experience with TORS and other surgeries for this condition and from the manufacturer of the da Vinci robotic surgery system. Cost data from Alberta Health datasets were used to estimate costs.

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Maximizing the impact of health technology assessment : the Alberta framework

Description

Outlines Alberta's vision and roadmap for using health technology assessment to address care delivery challenges and achieve progress on health care system priorities. Health technology assessment... More ≫

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Outlines Alberta's vision and roadmap for using health technology assessment to address care delivery challenges and achieve progress on health care system priorities. Health technology assessment (HTA) is widely used to inform decisions on whether to adopt a new health technology. HTA also provides the information needed to make decisions on the right type, amount, and use of health technology innovations to ensure health needs are efficiently and equitably addressed.

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Cannabis evidence series : an evidence synthesis

Description

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Canada. In 2015, the new Liberal government of Canada announced their plan to legalize cannabis and in June of 2016 a federal task force on... More ≫

Description

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Canada. In 2015, the new Liberal government of Canada announced their plan to legalize cannabis and in June of 2016 a federal task force on cannabis was announced. Guided by this task force, cannabis legislation is expected to be introduced in 2017. To inform Alberta’s response to the federal decision to legalize cannabis, the University of Calgary Health Technology Assessment Unit developed a series of evidence syntheses to support policy development by the Government of Alberta. This resource consists of five reports that address: the Canadian Context for cannabis use and legalization; the health effects and harms of cannabis; medical cannabis; advertisement and communication regulations; and experience with legalization among jurisdictions who have legalized cannabis use.

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Assisted reproductive technologies : addendum to the STEP report

Description

In 2012-2013, under the auspices of the Alberta Health Technologies Decision Process, the Health Technology and Policy Unit at the University of Alberta reviewed available clinical evidence on the... More ≫

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In 2012-2013, under the auspices of the Alberta Health Technologies Decision Process, the Health Technology and Policy Unit at the University of Alberta reviewed available clinical evidence on the safety and effectiveness of assisted reproductive technologies and examined economic implications of possible policy options through cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses. The final report submitted in June 2013 concluded that publicly funding assisted reproductive technologies with restrictive limitations could offer cost-savings to the healthcare system when compared to status quo. This addendum revisits and updates the original economic model and values. It finds that, given recent changes in practice among IVF physicians and clinics in Canada, the introduction of public funding for IVF no longer offers a means of reducing healthcare costs.

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Hepatitis C screening in Alberta : a health technology assessment

Description

This report presents the findings and conclusions of a provincial health technology assessment on Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) screening. The primary policy issue for this report was to determine the... More ≫

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This report presents the findings and conclusions of a provincial health technology assessment on Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) screening. The primary policy issue for this report was to determine the optimal strategy for HCV screening in Alberta, including determining the appropriate population for targeted HCV screening, whether there any relevant non age-based sub-populations at particular risk for HCV for whom targeted HCV screening would be appropriate, and whether it is appropriate to introduce age-based targeted HCV screening in the province.

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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment resistant depression : a health technology assessment

Description

The purpose of this health technology assessment (HTA) is to summarize the available evidence on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for individuals with treatment resistant... More ≫

Description

The purpose of this health technology assessment (HTA) is to summarize the available evidence on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for individuals with treatment resistant depression (TRD). The report includes evidence on the social impact of rTMS, the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of rTMS in comparison to available alternatives for both adult and youth/young adult patients with TRD.

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Renal denervation for treatment-resistant hypertension

Description

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a leading cause of stroke, cardiovascular and kidney disease. In most individuals with hypertension blood pressure can be managed through lifestyle changes... More ≫

Description

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a leading cause of stroke, cardiovascular and kidney disease. In most individuals with hypertension blood pressure can be managed through lifestyle changes and with drug therapies. However, a sub-group of those with hypertension have treatment-resistant hypertension. Renal denervation offers a treatment option for patients in this sub-group. At least three Canadian provinces, including Alberta, have pilot studies of renal denervation planned or underway at the time of publication. This assessment reviews the evidence on renal denervation for the treatment of resistant hypertension in order to support the development of policy recommendations around its provision as a publicly funded service in Alberta.

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