HP4C3E Half Unit
Economic Evaluation in Health Care
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Alex Carter
Availability
This course is compulsory on the Executive MSc in Health Economics, Outcomes and Management in Clinical Sciences. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes.
Course content
In the health sector, decision makers are regularly faced with the challenge of allocating finite resources in an optimal manner. Economic evaluation (or cost-effectiveness analysis) is used to formalise the process of decision-making by estimating the expected costs and benefits from alternative scenarios or interventions. Decision makers use evidence from economic evaluations to make specific recommendations for coverage, reimbursement, and pricing decisions for a variety of health interventions, and to define best practice. The course introduces principles and practices for measuring the costs and effects of interventions, using measures such as Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). The course will enable candidates to understand and apply economic evaluation methods and it will provide a solid foundation for exploring more advanced approaches. With a focus on clinical decision making, candidates will learn transferable skills about the design and execution of economic evaluations.
Teaching
The course will be delivered as a combination lectures and seminars, totalling a minimum of 20 hours.
Formative assessment
The formative assessment will require students to prepare a group presentation critically appraising a published study based on a few questions provided by the course leader.
Indicative reading
Drummond M et al. Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes. Oxford, OUP, 2005
Drummond M et al. Economic Evaluation in Health Care: Merging Theory with Practice, Oxford, OUP, 2002.
Gray A. Applied Methods of Cost-effectiveness Analysis in Healthcare (Handbooks in Health Economic Evaluation), Oxford, OUP, 2011.
Weinstein MC et al. Foundations of cost-effectiveness analysis for health and medical practices. N Eng J Med. 1977; 296 (13):716–21.
Russell LB et al. The role of cost-effectiveness analysis in health and medicine. JAMA. 1996; 276 (14): 1172–77.
Assessment
Research project (100%, 3000 words)
Key facts
Department: Intercollegiate
Course Study Period: Spring Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: Unavailable
Average class size 2024/25: Unavailable
Controlled access 2024/25: NoCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Leadership
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Application of information skills
- Communication
- Application of numeracy skills
- Commercial awareness
- Specialist skills