Recently, translational research (TR) in health technology (HT) has been considered as an emerging alternative research system for the improvement of human health. TR from bench to bedside involves a strong bidirectional relationship between basic science discovery and clinical practice. To support R&D planning and policy in HT effectively, the performance of TR programs was analyzed and evaluated in a R&D project on health and medical technology. TR programs were classified into three parts: unilateral TR, bilateral TR and multilateral TR. Bibliometrics and citation analysis were performed to assess research papers and gather information for the performance analysis of TR programs. In addition, both quantitative and qualitative analysis were successfully carried out using ISI Web of Science, Google Scholar Citations, SCOPUS and Knowledgematrix. In conclusion, the performance analysis of TR programs could significantly improve the efficiency of R&D plans, R&D management and evaluation for a safe and healthy life.