SA4E2      Half Unit
Resource Allocation and Cost-effectiveness Analysis (modular)

This information is for the 2013/14 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Anne Michaelsen COW3.05

In addition, Professor M Drummond (Professor of Health Economics, University of York) will be teaching on the course.

Availability

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Health Economics, Policy and Management. This course is not available as an outside option.

Course content

The aim is to give an overview of the theory underlying economic evaluation as applied to the health care sector; to consider the different forms of economic evaluation; to give an understanding of the techniques associated with economic evaluation as applied to health care; to give an understanding of the interpretation of the results gained from economic evaluation. The course will cover the following topics: Conceptual rationales for economic evaluation in the health care sector (Pareto efficiency, Social Welfare, extra-welfarism and decision-making); Introduction to the methods of economic evaluation: cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, and Cost-benefit analysis; Cost data; Incremental cost-effectiveness analysis; Quality Adjusted Life Years gained and other outcome measures; Discounting; Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis; Economic evaluation and clinical trials; Policy decision-making using economic evaluation. The course focuses on teaching students the tools necessary to undertake economic evaluation using computer-based seminar classes.

Teaching

10 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars, including computer-based practical workshops.

Formative coursework

Mock exam given after teaching session with feedback from seminar leader.

Indicative reading

M Drummond et al, Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes, Oxford, OUP, 2005.
M Drummond & A McGuire (Eds), Economic Evaluation in Health Care: Merging Theory with Practice, Oxford, OUP, 2002.
Gray, A. Clarke, P.M, Wolstenholme, P., Wordsworth, S. Applied Methods of Cost-effectiveness Analysis in Healthcare (Handbooks in Health Economic Evaluation), Oxford, OUP, 2011.

Students will be given access to essential readings before the course begins through the pre-sessional reading programme on Moodle, which they will be expected to read prior to the first day of class.

Assessment

Take home exam (100%).

Take-home exam with 2 questions out of 3 blocks that have 2 questions each (100%).

Student performance results

(2009/10 - 2011/12 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 10.7
Merit 73
Pass 16.4
Fail 0

Key facts

Department: Social Policy

Total students 2012/13: Unavailable

Average class size 2012/13: Unavailable

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information