Estimation of medical equipment prices – a case study of tomotherapy equipment in the Czech Republic

Medical equipment (ME) is often considered to be an important factor in the growth of healthcare expenditures. In the Czech Republic (CR) validated approach does not yet exist for hospitals to use to assess commercial offers, nor is there a generally accepted methodology for regulatory bodies to allow for the evaluation of the effectiveness of prior purchases. This study intends to present a methodological approach that will allow for assessing the effectiveness of the procurement of capital ME based on international prices. The case of the purchase of tomotherapy system in the CR was used to demonstrate the developed approach. We performed a multiway search for international estimated and exact prices for tomotherapy unit using public-procurement databases, scientific papers, health technology assessment studies, professional reports, and Internet searches. All of the data that was gathered on prices was subjected to critical assessment vis-à-vis the reliability of the information. This research lays new methodology that may provide general background of international comparison studies focused on ME. The results provide support for decision making about the acquisitions of ME

Programme and The Book of Abstracts / Twentieth Annual Conference YUCOMAT 2018, Herceg Novi, September 3-7, 2018

The First Conference on materials science and engineering, including physics, physical chemistry, condensed matter chemistry, and technology in general, was held in September 1995, in Herceg Novi. An initiative to establish Yugoslav Materials Research Society was born at the conference and, similar to other MR societies in the world, the programme was made and objectives determined. The Yugoslav Materials Research Society (Yu-MRS), a nongovernment and non-profit scientific association, was founded in 1997 to promote multidisciplinary goal-oriented research in materials science and engineering. The main task and objective of the Society has been to encourage creativity in materials research and engineering to reach a harmonic coordination between achievements in this field in our country and analogous activities in the world with an aim to include our country into global international projects. Until 2003, Conferences were held every second year and then they grew into Annual Conferences that were traditionally held in Herceg Novi in September of every year. In 2007 Yu-MRS formed two new MRS: MRS-Serbia (official successor of Yu-MRS) and MRS-Montenegro (in founding). In 2008, MRS – Serbia became a member of FEMS (Federation of European Materials Societies)