Prehospital CT for acute stroke was recommended in framework of research in Norway

Norway established in 2013 a framework for the introduction of innovations into the health care system through either a national or hospital-based health technology assessment. This framework is called the “New Method.”

Within this framework, all innovations should undergo HTA before being funded. If the method concerns only one or two hospitals, the assessment shall be initiated by clinicians and ran at the hospital level. The final report is disseminated via a mini-HTA database. If the method is of national concern, it undergoes Single Technology Appraisal at the national level followed by the funding decision by the group of payers (Decision Forum, Beslutningsforum).

In June 2019, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) has released an HTA report for the technology where it was outlined that, although the mobile stroke unit care increases the number of patients who receive thrombolysis, its efficacy is unknown due to the lack of evidence. More about this HTA report can be seen here.

Then, in August 2019, the Decision Forum conducted the meeting towards the funding decisions for new methods, where they concluded that prehospital CT ("stroke ambulance") for early diagnosis and treatment of suspected stroke could be used within the framework of controlled studies with a sufficient number of patients. The protocol of the Decision Forum meeting was released.

See the full details in Norwegian here.

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