History and structure
State Health Care Accreditation Agency under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania (VASPVT) is a governmental institution. Most of our actvities are commissioned by the Ministry of Health. There are 10 divisions responsible for: organizing and coordinating health care specialists and health care institutions activity, managing medical devices conformity assessment to essential requirements according to directives of EU. Since the last decade of the year 2007, VASPVT became responsible for organization of health technology assessment at national level.

Mission
VASPVT mission is patient safety. Integration of control due to legal acts for medical devices, health care specialists, health care organizations to achieve the main aim - to secure appropriate health services in Lithuania. Safe health technologies will be a part of the main responsibilities of the VASPVT to secure safety, effectiveness,efficiency of new health technologies, especially medical devices, in the country.

How VASPVT works
In accordance with the Minister of Health of Lithuania order No V-1156 of 26, November, 2008, VASPVT makes reccfommenda´tions regarding reimbursement of health care services in Lithuania.

Dissemination activity
For the present website is the main mean to distribute, disseminate information based on health care technologies. Specialized newspaper for health care provides and reports during the meetings and conferences of decision makers and CEO of health care organizations.

Current projects on HTA

• Development of health care priorities in the application of medical technologies at a national level
• Evaluation of effective utilization of CT in Lithuania
• EUnetHTA

Future plans for HTA

• To facilitate the integration of HTA reports in health care policy making
• To provide specific guidelines for assessment of health technologies
• To develop methodologies for the assessment of health technologies
• To improve dissemination of HTA reports
• To contribute to the EUnetHTA Collaboration 2009+