Mission Report: Understanding Health Technology Assessment in Thailand: Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia Study Visit to HITAP

The Health Policy and Management Department (HPM), Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, University of Gadjah Mada (UGM), Indonesia, requested a study visit to the Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program (HITAP) and ThaiCase Mix Center (TCMC) for its master’s students. The study visit was held on May 15, 2023, with the learning objective to share HITAP’s first-hand experience in conducting Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and application of the Diagnosis Related Groups (Thai DRG) in the health insurance system in Thailand. There were twenty-seven participants in the workshop, with eighteen participants from UGM, five participants from TCMC, and four participants from HITAP.

The one-day visit consisted of a session on HTA in the morning and a session on DRGs in the afternoon. The session on HTA covered topics on the application of HTA in Thailand and the region. Practical case examples were discussed, enabling the UGM students to gain real-world experiences in applying HTA tools and frameworks, fostering their understanding of the practical aspects of HTA implementation. Interactions with HITAP, including question-and-answer sessions and discussions, facilitated a vibrant exchange of ideas, experiences, and practices in HTA between the UGM delegation and the HITAP team.

HITAP was supported by the Access and Delivery Partnership (ADP) for this study visit. HITAP’s session in the study visit yielded important lessons learned, emphasizing the significance of collaboration and partnerships in HTA, the integration of research and policy, and the need for capacity building to strengthen HTA expertise among researchers and policymakers.