Estimating the value of implementing reimbursement decisions : what can payers and manufacturers learn from economics?

Implementation of reimbursement decisions is important to payers and manufacturers, however, evidence shows that it is highly variable. An economic framework is available to assess its value that has been successfully applied and which has developed over time to produce a more realistic representation of the real world. The framework incorporates the value of information, technology diffusion, and the interaction between the two, to generate a value of implementation. While potentially complex to apply, simple analyses are possible and qualitative lessons identified from its associated literature. Six lessons are identified which highlight the importance of considering pricing, population size, technology diffusion, evidence generation, and cost-effectiveness. Consideration of these issues would help payers and manufacturers to work together in a combined effort to increase the implementation of new technologies and generate greater value to society.