• L M G Steuten, H J M Vrijhoef, G G van Merode, J L Severens, and C Spreeuwenberg.
• Department of Health Care Studies, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. L.Steuten@zw.unimaas.nl
• J Clin Epidemiol. 2004 Sep 1;57(9):881-8.

ObjectiveSystematic reviews aim to summarize the evidence in a particular topic area, giving attention to the identified methodologic quality of published research. Because research in a specific area may be susceptible to specific biases, it is assumed that the methodologic quality of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) of disease management cannot properly be measured with the existing methodologic quality assessment instruments. The purpose of this study was to describe to what extent existing instruments are useful in assessing the methodologic quality of HTA of disease management.Study Design And SettingAn inventory was made of the problems that arise when assessing the methodologic quality of six HTAs of disease management with three different instruments. Based on these findings, a new instrument is proposed and validated.ResultsProblems mainly concern the items related to the study design, criteria for selection and restriction of patients, baseline and outcome measures, blinding of patients and providers, and the description of (co)-interventions.ConclusionWith its more specific characteristics, the HTA-DM addresses the problems mentioned. The HTA-DM is a reliable instrument for methodologic quality assessment of HTA of disease management in comparison with the other three instruments.

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