9 October 2020 - Health care decision makers are increasingly demanding that health technology assessment is patient focused, and considers data about patients' perspectives on and experiences with health technologies in their everyday lives.

Related data are typically generated through qualitative research, and in health technology assessment (HTA) the typical approach is to synthesise primary qualitative research through the conduct of qualitative evidence synthesis (QES). 

Abbreviated HTA timelines often do not allow for the full 6–12 months it may take to complete a QES, which has prompted the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health to explore the concept of “rapid qualitative evidence synthesis” (rQES).

Read International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care article