Objective: Our study aims to provide a practical contribution to thefield of medical technology assessment within a new paradigm. Thisparadigm indicates the need for more comprehensive technologyassessments in the development stage of a new technology.
Method: We introduce a method, based on Saaty's Analytic HierarchyProcess, which quantitatively supports discussions between thevarious actors that shape the technology's development and diffusion.These discussions focus on technical, medical, social, and economicalrequirements relevant to the design and diffusion of the newtechnology.
Discussion: In contrast to more traditional technologyassessments, our method encompasses the perspectives of the diverseactors in the social context of technology development and diffusion.It influences their decision making on technology design anddiffusion in order to improve this technology's later clinical aswell as social effectiveness.
