Characterization of Medical Equipment Acquisition Processes by Considering the Evaluation of Technology, Pilot Case: POCT Blood Gas Analyzers

Healthcare managers are interested in identifying decision-making tools that consider multiple criteria to support the acquisition of new medical equipment. Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is increasingly used for the Health Technology Assessment (HTA). This paper presents a model for the prioritization of alternatives for POCT blood gas analyzers in a healthcare institution in the city of Cali, Colombia using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). This work relates the different opinions of the main actors of the equipment acquisition process with scientific and technical elements. The result of the study is a model for the evaluation of medical equipment tailored to the needs of the hospital. This implementation is a progression towards the integration of scientific evidence and decision-making in healthcare institutions.