About Horizon Scanning

Our horizon scanning program identifies new and emerging health technologies likely to have a significant impact on health care in Canada. We scan and monitor various health information sources to identify promising technologies not yet widely used in the Canadian health care system. Our horizon scanning publications summarize information about a technology, including available evidence, regulatory status and potential costs, as well as concurrent developments and implementation issues.

Horizon Scanning Publications

Our horizon scanning publications include:

• Issues in Emerging Health Technologies – bulletins that provide a detailed description of a new or emerging health technology
• Health Technology Update – newsletters with brief articles on new and emerging health technologies
• Horizon Scan Roundup – a compilation of horizon scanning reports from us and other agencies.

Horizon scanning publications cover health technologies such as medical devices, drugs, diagnostic imaging, laboratory tests, surgical procedures, and other health interventions.

Horizon Scanning Service

Our Horizon Scanning Service regularly scans health information sources to identify new, noteworthy health care technologies. Health care professionals and other decision-makers, including patients and industry, also help us identify important new and emerging technologies.

We are interested in health technologies – devices, procedures, diagnostics, and other health interventions – that are within one to three years from being licensed in Canada or in the early days of use in Canada. Topics identified by us or through external topic suggestions are reviewed by our Horizon Scanning Officers. Those topics considered most timely and relevant are selected for review either in bulletins (Issues in Emerging Health Technologies) or as short articles in our newsletter (Health Technology Update). Other topics are kept in our horizon scanning topics database for monitoring and future review or forwarded to health technology assessment (HTA) staff to be considered for more comprehensive review.

To suggest a Horizon Scan topic, please complete the Submit a New or Emerging Health Technology Request form or email us at: [email protected]