Economic Evaluation in Healthcare (PHCM9440)
This course will provide students with an introduction to economic evaluation in healthcare, including its use as a tool to assist with government decision-making.
This course will focus on the concepts and the methods involved in cost-effectiveness/utility analysis. It will facilitate the development of skills required to critically appraise economic evaluations and illustrate how to apply the concepts involved to assess health interventions.
This course is an elective course in the Masters of Public Health, Masters of Health Leadership and Management, Masters of Global Health and Master of Infectious Diseases Intelligence. It comprises 6 units of credit towards the total required for completion of the study program.
Mode of study
External (Distance) and Internal (Face-to-Face) classes on campus
Key contact
A/Prof Anthony Newall
Course Convenor
+61 (2) 9385 8716
a.newall@.unsw.edu.au
- Who should do this course?
- Course outcomes
- Learning & teaching
- Assessments
- Readings & resources
Who should do this course?
We welcome students from any discipline and level of experience to contribute perspectives and understandings. In addition, we encourage you to engage with the material, ask questions, discuss relevant issues with teachers and colleagues, and regard the available literature with a critical eye.
Course outcomes
This course will provide students with an introduction to economic evaluation in healthcare, including its use as a tool to assist with government decision-making. The course will focus on the concepts and the methods involved in cost-effectiveness/utility analysis. It will facilitate the development of skills required to critically appraise economic evaluations and illustrate how to apply the concepts involved to assess health interventions.
At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:
- describe the concepts underpinning economic evaluation and its use in decision-making
- identify relevant costs and consequences and the methods used to value them
- relate the methods and concepts of economic evaluation to a health intervention
- recognise and apply the key steps in critically appraising an economic evaluation.
Learning & teaching
Core content is provided through weekly lectures and practicals, which include the use of case studies and online student discussion forums. The lectures and practicals will focus on illustrating the concepts essential to economic evaluation, within the context of case study examples. The practical and online student discussion sections will give you the opportunity to engage with the key concepts and discuss appropriate evaluation methods.
The formal course assessments will enable you to apply the concepts you have learnt in the course to critically assess an economic evaluation and illustrate your understanding of the concepts involved in economic evaluation.
Assessments
Assessment 1 – Online Quiz
Weighting: 15%
Length: 10 questions
Assessment 2 – Short Answers Report
Weighting: 35%
Length: 1400 words
Assessment 3 – Critical Appraisal Report
Weighting: 50%
Length: 1800 words
Readings & resources
The required textbook for the course is listed below. It is available in the University Bookshop. This is the standard textbook in the field. It will be useful in this course and as a reference book in your future careers. If you cannot purchase it there is an ebook version available, which should allow you to access the whole book online during the course.