Health Economics
| Module title | Health Economics |
|---|---|
| Module code | HPDM057 |
| Academic year | 2022/3 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Antonieta Medina-Lara (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 5 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 16 |
|---|
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 including the identification and valuation of costs and health benefits and modelling for assessing health care interventions as a way of making informed decisions in terms of costs and benefits.
Please note, in light of COVID-19:
- Face-to-Face lecture may be replaced by short pre-recorded videos for each topic (15-20 minutes) and/or brief overview lectures delivered via MS Teams/Zoom, with learning consolidated by self-directed learning resources in ELE activities.
- Small-group discussion in tutorial and seminars may be replaced by synchronous group discussion on Teams/Zoom; or asynchronous online discussions, for example via Yammer or ELE Discussion board.
- Workshops involving Face-to-Face classroom teaching may be replaced by synchronous sessions on Teams/Zoom; or asynchronous workshop activities supported with discussion forum.
- Skills workshops involving practical skills acquisition demonstrations may be replaced by short pre-recorded videos as pre-learning; or workshop via Teams/Zoom.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of the module is to introduce you to economic thinking and economic techniques and tools 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. Critically evaluate 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. Critically evaluate the mechanisms of other health care systems
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. 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:
The module will cover 16 topics. Lectures and practical exercises will be used to deliver the module. Among the topics are:
- Introduction to economic analysis in health care
-
Demand for health care
-
Supply of health care
-
Supply induced demand
-
Market failure
-
Health insurance
-
Economic evaluation
-
Cost measurement
-
Valuation of health outcomes
-
Economic modelling in health care
-
Common topics on economic evaluation studies
-
Critical appraisal
-
Health technology assessment
-
Willingness to pay and discrete choice experiments
-
Health care financing
-
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 110 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning & teaching activitie | 12 | Lectures, seminars, master-classes to enhance learning through introduction to key topics, specialist areas and role models and diversity of contexts and outcomes |
| Scheduled learning & teaching activitie | 28 | Group discussions, practical exercises, simulated case-studies and engagement with real-world scenarios to foster experiential learning with opportunities for peer and tutor feedback. |
| Guided independent study | 66 | Web-based learning; resource gathering and in-depth reading during the period of module delivery. |
| Guided independent study | 44 | Preparation and writing of assignments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group reflection and discussion | Scheduled, throughout term | 1-9 | Verbal feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | 0 | 35 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation | 35 | 15 mins (10 minutes presentation, 5 minutes questions/ comments) | 1-9 | Verbal feedback |
| Written scientific paper-style report | 65 | 1,500 words (maximum) | 1-6, 8 | Written feedback |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation | Presentation (to be conducted in person or via video conferencing) Notes of presentation also be submitted | 1-9 | Typically within six weeks of the result |
| Written scientific paper-style report | Written scientific paper-style report (1,500 words maximum) | 1-6, 8 | Typically within six weeks of the result |
Re-assessment notes
Same as for the original summative assessment, to include response to the written feedback and undertaken during the University’s agreed referral/deferral period.
If the reassessed presentation cannot be delivered directly to the tutor then it can be conducted by video-conferencing/Skype or submitted as a video. Notes of the presentation should also be submitted.Same as for the original summative assessment, to include response to the written feedback and undertaken during the University’s agreed referral/deferral period.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Textbooks:
-
Morris S, Devlin N, Parkin D and Spencer A. 2012. Economic Analysis in Health care. John Wiley & Sons.
-
Drummond MF, Sculpher MJ, Claxton K, Stoddart GL, Torrance GW. 2015. Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
A full list of recommended resources will be available of the University of Exeter’s electronic learning environment (ELE, http://as.exeter.ac.uk/it/systems/ele/)
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 16/03/2017 |
| Last revision date | 30/07/2020 |
