Overview

Topics may include:

1. Principles of economics
2. Introduction to Health Economics
3. Systems of health care finance and delivery
4. Methods of economic evaluation
5. Measuring outcomes in Health Economics
6. Interpreting published economic studies
7. Process utility in healthcare – discrete choice experiments
8. Use of modelling and statistics in Health Economics
9. Equity in health and health care, rationing and priority setting
10. Public health and economic evaluation

Assessment Strategy

Excellent / A Grade: To achieve an ‘excellent pass’ on the module, students will be required to demonstrate a thorough and comprehensive understanding of health economics, and the ability to critically analyse key topics in considerable depth. This will need to be supported by a comprehensive range of appropriate literature.

Good / B Grade: To achieve a ‘good pass’ on the module, students will be required to demonstrate a broad understanding of health economics, and the ability to explore and analyse key topics in depth. This will need to be supported by a good range of appropriate literature.

Threshold / C Grade: To achieve a 'pass’ on the module, students will be required to demonstrate reasonable knowledge and understanding of health economics, and to demonstrate some evidence of critical analysis. This will need to be supported by appropriate literature.

Learning Outcomes

• Appropriately identify and discuss economic data in order to understand the financial implications of key health and social care issues.

• Appropriately identify and examine methods of measuring outcomes in Health Economics

• Critically evaluate the key principles and uses of health economics.

• Critically explore and discuss the origins, context and scope of Health Economics

• Interpret and critically appraise published economic studies

• Understand and critically engage with debates on the use of market elements in health and care services commissioning, evaluation and improvement.

• Understand concepts of equity in healthcare, rationing and priority setting

• Understand the additional challenges of economic evaluation of public health interventions

• Understand the systems of health care finance and delivery