Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the perception ofthe content of health technology assessment (HTA) among healthprofessionals applying for a state grant of DKK 10 million.

Methods: A total of 113 applications were received and analyzed. Whenconducting the analysis, it was assumed that the applicants' maximumfive-page project description would reflect: a) the applicants'perception of what an HTA is; b) how the assessment was to beconducted; and c) what the results were going to be used for.

Results: More than 40% of all applications focused on treatment; in51% only one or two professional groups were to be involved (thusinterdisciplinarity was questionable); only 22% of the HTA caseswere intended to form the basis for political/administrative decisions;in general, the HTAs were planned far less comprehensively than wasrelevant; 76% of the projects did not include a formal synthesisphase; 41% intended to use diffusion as the only method forpublication of the HTA result.

Conclusions: The analysis reveals several areas where DIHTA has tomake an effort in order to secure that HTA in fact constitutes acomprehensive and well-documented basis for decision making. Theseareas concern the following topics: multidisciplinarity, theobjective of HTA, comprehensiveness, the synthesis phase, andpublication and utilization of the HTA result.