Understanding Health Economics

Produktivitet, syge- og sundhedstjeneste, cost-benefitanalyse. What is economics? Economics and health care. The market model. Empirical tools and measurement in economics. Demand for health services. Theory of the firm: Applications to solo practice. In- troduction to hospital economics. Health maintenance organizations. Health care financing. Industrial organization. Technological change. Economic evaluation of health programs.

Written specifically to help non-economists involved in managerial decision-making in the NHS, this book guides health care providers towards a better understanding of health economics. Detailing the ways health economics can aid managers in making more informed decisions, particularly in a time of budget constraints and rationing, the book also includes a number of case studies and worked examples. The author's clear interpretation of a complex topic will help health service managers understand the importance of economics in both service planning and appraisal. Among the topics covered in detail are: the cost of illness and cost measurement; outcome measurement; design of economic evaluations; Quality Adjusted Life Years; evidence-based medicine, prioritization and rationing and; assessing and using economic evaluations.

This text aims to provide non-economists with an introduction to economics in public health. It covers key economics principles, such as supply and demand, health care markets, healthcare finance and economic evaluation.

"This book would be an excellent choice for anyone wishing to be introduced to the field of health economics – it is undoubtedly the best 'Health Economics 101' textbook around." Professor Di McIntyre, South African Research Chair of Health and Wealth, Health Economics Unit, University of Cape Town "There are several books on the market now that claim to take readers into the intricacies of health economics 'from first principles'. To me, this book succeeds better than any." Gavin Mooney, Honorary Professor, University of Sydney and University of Cape Town; Visiting Professor, Aarhus University, the University of New South Wales and the University of Southern Denmark This practical text offers the ideal introduction to the economic techniques used in public health and is accessible enough for those who have no or limited knowledge of economics. Written in a user-friendly manner, the book covers key economic principles, such as supply and demand, healthcare markets, healthcare finance and economic evaluation. The book has been thoroughly updated with new material reflecting important recent developments and policy shifts such as the rise of performance based funding in health care, the impact and cost of achieving universal health care and the growing effect of globalization and international trade on the health sector.This engaging new edition features: Extensive use of global examples from low, middle and high income countries, real case studies and exercises to facilitate the understanding of economic concepts A greater emphasis on the practical application of economic theories and concepts to the formulation of health policy New chapters on macroeconomics, globalization and health and provider payments Extensively revised chapters on demand and supply, markets and economic evaluation Introduction to Health Economics 2nd edition is the ideal companion text for students, public health practitioners, policy makers, managers and researchers looking for a greater understanding of health economics principles. Series Editors: Rosalind Plowman and Nicki Thorogood.

Comprehensive in coverage this textbook, written by academics from leading institutions, discusses current developments and debates in modern health economics from an international perspective. Economic models are presented in detail, complemented by real-life explanations and analysis, and discussions of the influence of such theories on policymaking. Offering sound pedagogy and economic rigor, Health Economics focuses on building intuition alongside appropriate mathematical formality, translating technical language into accessible economic narrative. Rather than shying away from intellectual building blocks, students are introduced to technical and theoretical foundations and encouraged to apply these to inform empirical studies and wider policymaking. Health Economics provides: - A broad scope, featuring comparative health policy and empirical examples from around the world to help students relate the principles of health economics to everyday life - Coverage of topical issues such as the obesity epidemic, economic epidemiology, socioeconomic health disparities, and behavioural economics - A rich learning resource, complete with hundreds of exercises to help solidify and extend understanding. This book is designed for advanced undergraduate courses in health economics and policy but may also interest postgraduate students in economics, medicine and health policy. Accompanying online resources for this title can be found at bloomsburyonlineresources.com/health-economics. These resources are designed to support teaching and learning when using this textbook and are available at no extra cost.

Healthcare economics is a topic of increasing importance due to the substantial changes that are expected to radically alter the way Americans obtain and finance healthcare. Understanding Healthcare Economics, 2nd Edition provides an evidence-based framework to help practitioners comprehend the changes already underway in our nation’s healthcare system. It presents important economic facts and explains the economic concepts needed to understand the implications of these facts. It also summarizes the results of recent empirical studies on access, cost, and quality problems in today’s healthcare system. The material is presented in two sections. Section 1 focuses on the healthcare access, cost and quality issues that create pressures for change in health policy. The first edition was completed just as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was debated and passed. This new edition updates the information about access, cost, and quality issues. It also discusses the pressure for change that led to the passage of the PPACA, evidence that shaped the construction of the act, evidence on the impacts of the PPACA, and evidence on the pressures for future changes. Section 2 focuses on changes that are underway including: changes in the Medicare payment system; new types of healthcare delivery organizations such as ACOs and patient-centered medical homes. It also discusses the current efforts to help patients build health such as wellness programs and disease management programs. And finally, health information technology will be discussed. The new edition will maintain the current structure; however each chapter will be updated to discuss post-PPACA evidence on each type of type. In addition to the updates previously mentioned, the authors will present a series of data explorations to several chapters. Most of the new data explorations present summarized statistical information based on de-identified data from one hospital electronic data system. These data explorations serve two purposes. First, they illustrate the impacts of the pressures for change – and some of the changes – on healthcare providers. For example, the data illustrates the financial impact of pre-PPACA uncompensated care. Second, explanation of the data will require explanations of standard coding systems that are used nationwide (DRGs, CPT, ICD) codes. Other data explorations provide detail about other sources of data useful for health policy analysis, and for healthcare providers and insurers.

This book contains a collection of works showcasing the latest research into global health economics conducted by leading experts in the field from the Centre for Health Economics (CHE) at the University of York and other partner research institutions. Each chapter focuses upon an important topic in global health economics and a number of separate research projects. The discussion delves into health care policy evaluation; economic evaluation; econometric and other analytic methods; health equity and universal health coverage; consideration of cost-effectiveness thresholds and opportunity costs in the health sector; health system challenges and possible solutions; and others. Case study examples from a variety of low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) settings are also showcased in the final part of this volume.The research presented seeks to contribute toward increasing understanding on how health policy can be enhanced to improve the welfare of LMIC populations. It is strongly recommended for public health policymakers and analysts in low- and middle-income country settings and those affiliated to international health organizations and donor organizations.

Highly Commended in the BMA Medical Book Awards 2018! Here’s what the judges said: "This is one of the few textbooks I would suggest every clinician reads.” Healthcare Economics Made Easy 2e is a clear and concise text written for healthcare professionals and students who need to understand the basics of the subject but who do not want to wade through a specialist health economics text. This new edition builds on the success of the first edition by adding new chapters which provide a comparison across several western economies, as well as a consideration of the US healthcare system. Healthcare Economics Made Easy 2e will equip the reader with the necessary skills to make valid decisions based on the economic data and with the background knowledge to understand the health economics literature. This book provides insight into the economic methods that are used to promote public health policies, the techniques used for grading and valuing evidence and the statistics relied upon, without trying to re-train the reader as a health economist. If you are left bemused by terms such as QALY, health utility analysis and cost minimisation analysis, then this is the book for you! From reviews of the first edition: “This is a clearly written and accessible introduction to health economics... This book should prove useful to all those responsible for planning and delivering health service. It is a quick read but also a useful reference for the desk.... I would commend this book as a means by which people .... can better understand both the impact of their own practice on our health economy and also appreciate the methods that are being adopted to determine clinical practice at a regional and super-regional level.” Ulster Medical Journal, 2014