Wouter van Rossum

Assessing medical technologies in development : a new paradigm of medical technology assessment

OBJECTIVE Our study aims to provide a practical contribution to the field of medical technology assessment within a new paradigm. This paradigm indicates the need for more comprehensive technology assessments in the development stage of a new technology. METHOD We introduce a method, based on Saatys Analytic Hierarchy Process, which quantitatively supports discussions between the various actors that shape the technologys development and diffusion. These discussions focus on technical, medical, social, and economical requirements relevant to the design and diffusion of the new technology. DISCUSSION In contrast to more traditional technology assessments, our method encompasses the perspectives of the diverse actors in the social context of technology development and diffusion. It influences their decision making on technology design and diffusion in order to improve this technologys later clinical as well as social effectiveness.

A multicriteria decision analysis of augmentative treatment of upper limbs in persons with tetraplegia

This study supported the evaluation by a rehabilitation team of the performance of two treatment options that improve the arm-hand function in subjects with sixth cervical vertebra (C6) level Motor Group 2 tetraplegia. The analytic hierarchy process, a technique for multicriteria decision analysis, was used by a rehabilitation team and potential recipients to quantitatively compare a new technology, Functional Elec trical Stimulation (FES), with conventional surgery. Perform-ance was measured by functional improvement, treatment load, risks, user-friendliness, and social outcomes. Functional improvement after FES was considered better than that after conventional surgery. However, the rehabilitation teams overall rating for conventional surgery was slightly higher than that for FES (57% vs 44%). Compared with the rehabilitation team, potential recipients gave greater weight to burden of treatment and less weight to functional improvement. This study shows that evaluation of new technology must be more comprehensive than the evaluation of functional improvement alone, and that patient preferences may differ from those of the rehabilitation team.

Product Design Planning with the Analytic Hierarchy Process in Inter-Organizational Networks

In the second half of inter–organizational product development, the new product is likely to face significant design changes. Our study focused on the adequacy of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to support the collaborative partners to steer and align the accompanying design activities. It quantitatively supported discussions between researchers, engineers, manufacturers and future users involved in the development of a voice–producing prosthesis. These discussions focused on the planning of respectively the product design objectives, design changes, and design activities. This product design planning was based on the product requirements relevant to the diverse groups involved, a pro–active view on the market circumstances, the available knowledge, skills and resources, lead–time and costs. The outcomes showed that the AHP is an adequate tool for R&D managers to support inter–organizational product development.

Types and timing of inter-organizational communication in new product development

Managing the communication between the participants involved in inter–organizational product development is complex. The traditional models of new product development are not sufficient to gain insight in effective management practices in this respect. Our study explored the inter–organizational communication in a research and development project. Our results confirm Gersick’s model that looks upon new product development as being punctuated by periods of rapid change. In these periods, including the start–up, explorative prototype stage, and completion of the project, inter–organizational communication is essential about design objectives and project planning, contextual factors and the required resources, skills and knowledge.