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Evaluation of Health Care - ECO00104M

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  • Department: Economics and Related Studies
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module summary

To provide a thorough understanding of the methods used to evaluate health care technologies.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24

Module aims

To provide a thorough understanding of the methods used to evaluate health care technologies. This requires an understanding of methods across different disciplines including epidemiology, statistics, welfare economics and operations research. It also requires an in-depth understanding of the principles that underpin these methods.

Module learning outcomes

On completing the module a student will:

  • Understand the different approaches regarding principles underpinning different types of economic evaluation;

  • Be able to critically appraise published evaluations;

  • Have practical experience of implementing appropriate methods;

  • Be able to analyse and contribute to debates regarding policies regarding the economic value of new health care technologies.

Module content

Topic 1: Efficacy
Sub-topics:
Randomised controlled trials
Non-experimental evidence
Survival time analysis
Meta-analysis


Topic 2: Effectiveness

Sub-topics:
Generic measures of health
Controversies

Topic 3: Estimating preferences for health
Sub-topics:
Valuing life and health
Contingent valuation
Discrete choice experiments

Topic 4: Efficiency
Sub-topics:
Normative foundations of cost-benefit analysis
Making decisions using cost-benefit analysis

Topic 5: Cost-effectiveness
Sub-topics:
Principles of cost-effectiveness
Practice of cost-effectiveness
Cost-effectiveness analysis in LMIC contexts

Topic 6: Decision modelling
Sub-topics:
Evidence synthesis
Vehicles for economic evaluation
Decision modelling

Topic 7: Equity
Sub-topics:
Implicit value judgements
Equity

Topic 8: Uncertainty
Sub-topics:
Types of uncertainty
Value of information

Topic 9: Heterogeneity
Sub-topics:
Principles for exploring heterogeneity
How to investigate heterogeneity
Policy considerations

Topic 10: Prioritisation
Sub-topics:
Informing health benefits packages
Health system strengthening
Ethical considerations

Topic 11: Innovation
Sub-topics:
Dynamic efficiency
Policies
Innovative financing

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) 100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) 100

Module feedback

Following departmental policy, written cohort feedback will be provided online.

Indicative reading

An introductory overview of all of the material can be found in:

Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes / Michael F. Drummond, Mark J. Sculpher, Karl Claxton, Greg Stoddart, George W. Torrance. 4th ed. Oxford University Press,; 2015:xiii, 445 p. :


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.