Fostering healthcare innovation in public hospitals: the Queensland experience.

Faced with scarce resources and a demand for health care that exceeds supply, health policy makers at all levels of government need to adopt some form of rationing when deciding which health services should be funded in the public health system. With a relatively small investment, programs such as Queensland Health's New Technology Funding Evaluation Program (NTFEP) fosters innovation by providing funding and pilot studies for new and innovative healthcare technologies. The NTFEP assists policy makers to make informed decisions regarding investments in new safe and effective technologies based on available evidence gathered from real-world settings relevant to Queensland patients and clinicians. In addition, the NTFEP allows appropriate patient access, especially in rural and remote locations, to potentially beneficial technologies and acts a gatekeeper, protecting them from technologies that may be detrimental or harmful.