The objective of this application is to obtain support for the 17th annual meeting of the International Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care (ISTAHC). Since 1985, ISTAHC has served as an international forum for researchers and clinicians focused on evidence-based assessment of healthcare technologies. ECRI (the applicant organization), a 30-year-old nonprofit health services research agency, serves as the Local Organizing Committee for this annual meeting of ISTAHC. ECRI is a Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization, as well as an AHRQ-designated Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC). The theme of this conference-the first annual meeting of ISTAHC held in the US in five years-is """"""""Building Bridges between Policy, Providers, Patients, and Industry."""""""" The specific aims of the conference are to critically examine: the role of the healthcare industry in technology assessment; whether our intellectual progress in technology assessment enables clinicians and patients to put findings into practice; and the interface between public and private sector uses of technology assessment. Topics of individual sessions include the challenges of integrating technology assessment and evidence-based medicine with health policy in both the private and public sectors, the challenges of disseminating and implementing technology assessment information for clinicians and patients; and the methodological challenges technology assessors face regarding existing and developing analytical tools, emerging technologies, and rapidly evolving assessment methods. The conference design includes plenary sessions and special themes presentations with invited speakers; presentations of submitted papers, abstracts, and posters; panel discussions; and exhibits of relevant products, services, and publications. The conference will be held from June 3 through 6, 2001, at the Philadelphia Marriott Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Post- conference activities will be held at ECRI's research campus in Plymouth Meeting, PA, on June 7 and 8, 2001.
