Health Economics
| Module title | Health Economics |
|---|---|
| Module code | CSC4018 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Antonieta Medina-Lara (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
The module will introduce the basic principles of economics analysis in health care and the tools used in health economics. It will provide information on the underlying concepts of scarcity and choice, opportunity cost, demand and supply for health care, supplier-induced demand, efficiency and equity; will consider the processes of health care financing and health insurance. It will emphasize the use of different approaches to economic evaluation and valuation of health benefits for assessing health care interventions as a way of making informed decisions in terms of costs and benefits. Finally it will describe priority setting and equity on health.
This is an optional module for third year students of BSc Medical Sciences. It is also available to third year students from Biosciences
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of the module is to introduce students to economic thinking and economic techniques which are used for understanding the health care setting.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Explain how economic ideas and principles may be applied to health and health care
- 2. Develop the ability to use core economic concepts and tools to health and health care problems
- 3. Differentiate the appropriate method for analysing the cost and benefits for health care interventions
- 4. Explain the mechanisms of other health care systems
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. To be able to analyse essential facts and theory in health economics
- 6. Describe and begin to understand aspects of current research methods used in health economics within published research articles
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Analyse data using a strong set of quantitative skills
- 8. Demonstrate critical thinking, problem-formulation and problem
- 9. Interact effectively within group showing aspects of leadership and teamwork
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:
- Introduction to economic analysis in health care
- Demand for health care
- Supply of health care
- Market failure
- Health insurance
- Health care financing
- Foundations of economic evaluation
- Type of economic evaluation studies and cost measurement
- Valuation of health outcomes
- Economic modelling in health care
- Priority setting and health equity
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | 126 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activities | 17 | Lectures (1.5 hrs) |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activities | 7 | 5 Seminars (1 hr each) & 2 Workshops (1 hr each) |
| Guided independent study | 126 | Pre-lecture reading (33 hrs); complementary reading (11 hrs); seminar/workshop preparation (14 hrs); written scientific paper (48 hrs); answering practice short answers (4 hrs); studying for short answer exam (16 hrs). |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminars/Workshops | 1hr each/1.5 each | 1-9 | Personal and key skills oral and written feedback from peers and facilitators |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 75 | 0 | 25 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation | 25 | 5 minutes per student | 1-9 | written and or verbal |
| Short abstract for oral presentation | 15 | 0.5 pages | 1-9 | written on request |
| Written scientific paper-style report | 60 | 3.5 pages (plus unlimited appendices to include critical appraisal and PRISMA figure) | 1-9 | written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation | Oral presentation | 1-9 | Ref/Def |
| abstract for oral presentation | abstract for oral presentation | 1-9 | Ref/Def |
| written scientific paper-style report | written scientific paper-style report | 1-9 | Ref/def |
Re-assessment notes
Please refer to the TQA section on Referral/Deferral: http://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/consequenceoffailure/
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Students will be expected to read the chapters of the textbook suggested per lecture and also original papers.
Textbooks:
- Morris S, Devlin N, Parkin D and Spencer A. 2012. Economic Analysis in Health care. John Wiley & Sons.
- Drummond MF, Stoddart GL, Torrance GW. 2005. Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes. 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | No |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Last revision date | 04/08/2020 |
