26101 Health Economics and Evaluation
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
New healthcare technologies provide opportunities to improve health outcomes but may place additional pressure on available healthcare resources. One of the key challenges for health systems is to ensure that new health technologies offer value for money. It is therefore crucial that a future workforce develop a deep understanding of the healthcare system and the way health care is financed, purchased and provided. As such, there is a high need to develop workforce skills to evaluate and optimise the utilisation of technologies in healthcare systems. This subject provides students with an understanding of the economics of health and health care, and enables them to apply analytical economics skills to problems of resource allocation in the health system. Furthermore, it provides students with a critical understanding of the principles, techniques and real-world application of health technology assessment, clinical evidence synthesis, patient outcomes and economic modelling.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 1. | Demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts of microeconomics applied to health and health care |
|---|---|
| 2. | Discuss characteristics of the Australian health care system, including advantages and disadvantages of this system. |
| 3. | Describe the role and value of health technology assessment in product development, market access and reimbursement |
| 4. | Apply methods for economic evaluation of health technologies |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- Analyse and contextualise complex data including statistical information in public health. (1.1)
- Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of health projects and programs. (2.1)
- Translate research and evaluation into social and professional practice though critical thinking and knowledge integration. (5.0)
- Demonstrates critical thinking in the development and practice of public health. (5.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject adopts a blended approach using online resources (educational videos, podcasts, readings, and mini quizzes), interactive, face-to-face lectures (usually 2 hours per week) and tutorials (usually 1 hour per week). During part of the tutorials and at home, students will also work on an HTA Consultancy Project. The HTA Consultancy Project will prepare students for evaluating a solution for an industry-posed problem related to health economics. The other tutorials will use a mixture of teaching approaches, including a debate and a game.
Online resources are organised by week, and students are expected to study these before the accompanying lectures/tutorials. Each week has associated pre-work and may have a self-administered mini quiz, to be completed at least on the evening before the lectures it relates to. The mini quiz results will be used by the lecturer to direct attention to concepts that were found to be difficult. As part of the online work, students will watch an educational video to experience the journey that a product (i.e. pharmaceutical) travels from its development by industry until it reaches patients in need. Students will also learn about the role of health economics in decision making by potential future employers.
The use of the UTS Learning Management System is integral to the subject and students are expected to login regularly to receive information relating to scheduling, assessment tasks, lecture and tutorial times and locations, to participate in the online forums, quizzes, and to access online resources. Students will also be able to access the Discussion Board for Health Economics & Evaluation. All enquiries regarding the content of lectures/tutorials should be posted in this discussion forum.
During this subject, students will receive feedback:
During lectures, through discussion of mini quiz results (focusing on questions that proved difficult), and through interactive class activities.
During tutorials, through in-class discussion and supervision/help with the HTA Consultancy Project.
After each assessment task, to learn from mistakes. Feedback on assessment task 1 will be provided at least a week before the final exam.
Content (topics)
- Introduction to health economics
- The role and value of health technology assessment:
- Decision making and resource allocation in Australia and internationally
- HTA, types of economic evaluations
- Interpretation, presentation and use of economic evaluation
- Product life cycle and early HTA
- Methods for health technology assessment:
- Measuring health benefits
- Measuring costs
- Economic modelling
- Dealing with uncertainty
- Microeconomics applied to health and health care:
- Microeconomics tools for health system analysis
- Markets and market failure
- Uncertainty, risk and health insurance
- Welfare economics
- Health care systems:
- Health care financing
- Equity and efficiency in health care provision
- Overview of the Australian health care system (incl. funding, purchasing and providing roles, commonwealth and state roles)
- International comparison
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Foundations knowledge quiz
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 5.1 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 10% |
Assessment task 2: HTA consultancy project (individual)
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.1 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 25% |
Assessment task 3: Written home assignments (individual)
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 5.0 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 20% |
Assessment task 4: Final Exam (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 3 and 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.1, 2.1 and 5.1 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 45% |
Recommended texts
Morris S, Devlin N, Parkin D and Spencer A (2012) Economic Analysis in Health Care, Second Edition, John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Lecture notes will be available on Canvas for each topic. Additional readings will be made available via Canvas.
Other resources
UTS Student Centre
Building 10
Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm
Tel: 1300 ASK UTS (1300 275 887)
Details for student centres: www.uts.edu.au/current-students/contacts/general-contacts
For other resources/ information refer to the Faculty of Health website (www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-health) and Canvas at: https://canvas.uts.edu.au/.
UTS Library
The Library has a wide range of resources, facilities and services to support you including textbooks, subject readings, health literature databases, workshops and bookable study rooms. There is also a team of librarians to help you with your questions available via online chat, phone and in person. W: lib.uts.edu.au, Facebook: utslibrary, Twitter: @utslibrary Tel: (02) 9514 3666.
Improve your academic and English language skills
Marks for all assessment tasks such as assignments and examinations are given not only for what you write but also for how you write. If you would like the opportunity to improve your academic and English language skills, make an appointment with the HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support) Service in Student Services.
HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support)
HELPS provides assistance with English language proficiency and academic language. Students who need to develop their written and/or spoken English should make use of the free services offered by HELPS, including academic language workshops, vacation intensive courses, drop-in consultations, individual appointments and Conversations@UTS (www.ssu.uts.edu.au/helps). HELPS staff are also available for drop-in consultations at the UTS Library. Phone (02) 9514 9733.
Please see www.uts.edu.au for additional information on other resources provided to students by UTS.
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