Health Technology Inquiry Service (HTIS)

Quick access to health technology information through the Health Technology Inquiry Service

Rapid and continual advances in health care have made evidence-based information on medical technologies an essential part of informed decision making.

To support these decisions, health technology assessment (HTA) agencies need to provide quality assessments of medical technologies in a timely, efficient manner. While comprehensive HTA reports are used to support many important deliberations, the urgency of some decisions requires a more immediate response. The Health Technology Inquiry Service (HTIS) has been meeting this need since February 2005 when the service was launched.

HTIS responds to inquiries on the assessment of health care technologies including drugs, devices, diagnostic tests, and medical and surgical procedures.

Information provided by the HTIS is tailored to meet the needs of decision makers, and takes into account the urgency and potential impact of the request. The HTIS can prepare a variety of products ranging from a reference list to a detailed assessment of the best evidence-based information on a topic.

The HTIS is available to Canadian health care decision makers in the federal government, provincial health ministries, Local Health Integration Networks, regional health authorities, hospitals, and national and federal health care programs in CADTH-area jurisdictions.

The HTIS can be accessed through your jurisdictional Liaison Officer. The Officer can help you identify topics, define appropriate questions for the HTIS, and help facilitate your request. Click here to contact the Liaison Officer closest to you.

Please note: Questions that are beyond the scope of the HTIS are those related to broad health systems issues (e.g. information/communication technologies, health care or program delivery, staffing and financing), those requiring primary research, those involving procedures or technologies to improve system efficiency and those that do not name a health technology.