Husbands Samantha, Jowett Susan, Barton Pelham, Coast Joanna
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK.
Health Economics Unit, Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Pharmacoeconomics. 2017 Jun;35(6):607-612. doi: 10.1007/s40273-017-0499-z.
Decision-analytic models play a key role in informing healthcare resource allocation decisions. However, there are ongoing concerns with the credibility of models. Modelling methods guidance can encourage good practice within model development, but its value is dependent on its ability to address the areas that modellers find most challenging. Further, it is important that modelling methods and related guidance are continually updated in light of any new approaches that could potentially enhance model credibility. The objective of this article was to highlight the ways in which qualitative methods have been used and recommended to inform decision-analytic model development and enhance modelling practices. With reference to the literature, the article discusses two key ways in which qualitative methods can be, and have been, applied. The first approach involves using qualitative methods to understand and inform general and future processes of model development, and the second, using qualitative techniques to directly inform the development of individual models. The literature suggests that qualitative methods can improve the validity and credibility of modelling processes by providing a means to understand existing modelling approaches that identifies where problems are occurring and further guidance is needed. It can also be applied within model development to facilitate the input of experts to structural development. We recommend that current and future model development would benefit from the greater integration of qualitative methods, specifically by studying 'real' modelling processes, and by developing recommendations around how qualitative methods can be adopted within everyday modelling practice.
决策分析模型在为医疗资源分配决策提供信息方面发挥着关键作用。然而，人们对模型的可信度一直存在担忧。建模方法指南可以鼓励模型开发中的良好实践，但其价值取决于它解决建模人员认为最具挑战性领域的能力。此外，重要的是，建模方法和相关指南应根据任何可能提高模型可信度的新方法不断更新。本文的目的是强调定性方法在为决策分析模型开发提供信息和加强建模实践方面的使用方式和建议。参考相关文献，本文讨论了定性方法可以且已经被应用的两种关键方式。第一种方法是使用定性方法来理解和为模型开发的一般及未来过程提供信息，第二种方法是使用定性技术直接为单个模型的开发提供信息。文献表明，定性方法可以通过提供一种理解现有建模方法的手段来提高建模过程的有效性和可信度，这种手段能够识别问题所在以及何处需要进一步指导。它还可以应用于模型开发过程中，以促进专家对结构开发的投入。我们建议，当前和未来的模型开发将受益于定性方法的更大程度整合，特别是通过研究“实际”建模过程，以及围绕如何在日常建模实践中采用定性方法制定建议。
