The evaluation of health technologies primarily focuses on what outcomes?

The evaluation of health technologies primarily emphasizes efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness because these factors are crucial in determining the overall value and impact of a health intervention.

Efficacy refers to how well a health technology works in a controlled setting, providing insight into its potential benefit for patients. Safety assesses the risks associated with the technology, including potential adverse effects. Cost-effectiveness evaluates whether the benefits of the technology justify the costs incurred, helping healthcare providers and policymakers make informed decisions about resource allocation.

This triad of efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness ensures that health technologies are not only effective in improving health but are also safe for use and provide a good return on investment for the healthcare system. In contrast, other outcomes like patient satisfaction and provider cost, while important, do not capture the comprehensive evaluation needed for assessing health technologies. Additionally, market trends and technology diffusion focus on the adoption and spread of technologies rather than their clinical effectiveness and patient safety. Quality and health outcomes are related concepts but do not encompass the specific considerations central to health technology assessment as thoroughly as efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness do.