Mind the (research) gap: a retrospective observational study on the utilization of new medical technologies and related research activities in German hospitals
Abstract Objectives Hospitals play a major role in generating clinical evidence on new medical technologies. Thus far, the extent of German hospitals’ contribution to the evidence base has not been sufficiently investigated. This study aims to: (1) examine the utilization of new medical technologies...
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BMC
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Health Research Policy and Systems |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-025-01342-8 |
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| author | Tanja Rombey Helene Eckhardt Susanne Felgner Marie Dreger Alessandro Campione Hanna Ermann David Ehlig Hendrikje Rödiger Dimitra Panteli Cornelia Henschke |
| author_facet | Tanja Rombey Helene Eckhardt Susanne Felgner Marie Dreger Alessandro Campione Hanna Ermann David Ehlig Hendrikje Rödiger Dimitra Panteli Cornelia Henschke |
| author_sort | Tanja Rombey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objectives Hospitals play a major role in generating clinical evidence on new medical technologies. Thus far, the extent of German hospitals’ contribution to the evidence base has not been sufficiently investigated. This study aims to: (1) examine the utilization of new medical technologies in German hospitals and its relationship to different hospital characteristics; (2) investigate the participation of German hospitals in research on these technologies and the association between hospital characteristics and research involvement; and (3) investigate the contribution of German hospitals to international research activities, including the levels of evidence of any studies conducted. Methods Using a systematically derived sample of 13 new medical technologies and various data sources, we retrospectively analyzed the utilization of and research activities by German hospitals between 2005 and 2017 and explored which hospital characteristics they were associated with. The data were analyzed descriptively and are expressed as bar plots, box plots, quartiles, and crude odds ratios (ORs). Results The proportion of German hospitals using new technologies while also being involved in related clinical research was relatively low (ranging from 0.3% to 29.4%, except for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), with 60.7%), particularly for prospective studies. Research involvement was positively associated with university hospital status, larger bed capacity, and public ownership. Overall, the research involving German hospitals predominantly consisted of single-arm studies and not randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Conclusions Our study identified a gap between hospitals using new medical technologies and their involvement in evidence generation. This imbalance can contribute to uncertainty regarding the actual efficacy, effectiveness and safety of new medical technologies. To ensure evidence-based patient care, it is therefore essential to strengthen the link between research and practice, in both directions. A first step to achieve this could entail restricting the use of new medical technologies to specialized innovation centers (e.g., university hospitals, specialized hospitals) during the initial years of their utilization to ensure an adequate evidence base is generated before widespread implementation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3200dca02f794149b83bb2b665cf2664 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1478-4505 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Research Policy and Systems |
| spelling | doaj-art-3200dca02f794149b83bb2b665cf26642025-08-20T03:22:26ZengBMCHealth Research Policy and Systems1478-45052025-05-0123111510.1186/s12961-025-01342-8Mind the (research) gap: a retrospective observational study on the utilization of new medical technologies and related research activities in German hospitalsTanja Rombey0Helene Eckhardt1Susanne Felgner2Marie Dreger3Alessandro Campione4Hanna Ermann5David Ehlig6Hendrikje Rödiger7Dimitra Panteli8Cornelia Henschke9Department of Health Care Management, Technische Universität BerlinDepartment of Health Care Management, Technische Universität BerlinDepartment of Health Care Management and Berlin Centre for Health Economics Research (BerlinHECOR), Technische Universität BerlinDepartment of Health Care Management and Berlin Centre for Health Economics Research (BerlinHECOR), Technische Universität BerlinDepartment of Health Care Management, Technische Universität BerlinDepartment of Health Care Management, Technische Universität BerlinChair of Health Economics, Policy and Management, School of Medicine (Med-HSG), Universität St. GallenDepartment of Health Care Management, Technische Universität BerlinDepartment of Health Care Management, Technische Universität BerlinDepartment of Health Care Management and Berlin Centre for Health Economics Research (BerlinHECOR), Technische Universität BerlinAbstract Objectives Hospitals play a major role in generating clinical evidence on new medical technologies. Thus far, the extent of German hospitals’ contribution to the evidence base has not been sufficiently investigated. This study aims to: (1) examine the utilization of new medical technologies in German hospitals and its relationship to different hospital characteristics; (2) investigate the participation of German hospitals in research on these technologies and the association between hospital characteristics and research involvement; and (3) investigate the contribution of German hospitals to international research activities, including the levels of evidence of any studies conducted. Methods Using a systematically derived sample of 13 new medical technologies and various data sources, we retrospectively analyzed the utilization of and research activities by German hospitals between 2005 and 2017 and explored which hospital characteristics they were associated with. The data were analyzed descriptively and are expressed as bar plots, box plots, quartiles, and crude odds ratios (ORs). Results The proportion of German hospitals using new technologies while also being involved in related clinical research was relatively low (ranging from 0.3% to 29.4%, except for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), with 60.7%), particularly for prospective studies. Research involvement was positively associated with university hospital status, larger bed capacity, and public ownership. Overall, the research involving German hospitals predominantly consisted of single-arm studies and not randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Conclusions Our study identified a gap between hospitals using new medical technologies and their involvement in evidence generation. This imbalance can contribute to uncertainty regarding the actual efficacy, effectiveness and safety of new medical technologies. To ensure evidence-based patient care, it is therefore essential to strengthen the link between research and practice, in both directions. A first step to achieve this could entail restricting the use of new medical technologies to specialized innovation centers (e.g., university hospitals, specialized hospitals) during the initial years of their utilization to ensure an adequate evidence base is generated before widespread implementation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-025-01342-8 |
| spellingShingle | Tanja Rombey Helene Eckhardt Susanne Felgner Marie Dreger Alessandro Campione Hanna Ermann David Ehlig Hendrikje Rödiger Dimitra Panteli Cornelia Henschke Mind the (research) gap: a retrospective observational study on the utilization of new medical technologies and related research activities in German hospitals Health Research Policy and Systems |
| title | Mind the (research) gap: a retrospective observational study on the utilization of new medical technologies and related research activities in German hospitals |
| title_full | Mind the (research) gap: a retrospective observational study on the utilization of new medical technologies and related research activities in German hospitals |
| title_fullStr | Mind the (research) gap: a retrospective observational study on the utilization of new medical technologies and related research activities in German hospitals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mind the (research) gap: a retrospective observational study on the utilization of new medical technologies and related research activities in German hospitals |
| title_short | Mind the (research) gap: a retrospective observational study on the utilization of new medical technologies and related research activities in German hospitals |
| title_sort | mind the research gap a retrospective observational study on the utilization of new medical technologies and related research activities in german hospitals |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-025-01342-8 |
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