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Nicholas Graves

This course offers an introduction to economic evaluation, with a focus on cost-effectiveness analysis, to guide decision-making in healthcare services. Students will gain foundational knowledge in economic concepts and learn how to apply these principles to evaluate the costs and health benefits of various healthcare programs.

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This course offers an introduction to economic evaluation, with a focus on cost-effectiveness analysis, to guide decision-making in healthcare services. Students will gain foundational knowledge in economic concepts and learn how to apply these principles to evaluate the costs and health benefits of various healthcare programs.

The curriculum covers multiple types of economic evaluations, emphasizing Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) as a key outcome measure for benefits. Additionally, the course will explore the use of decision trees and Markov models, providing insights on how to interpret the results of cost-effectiveness studies effectively.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to Economic Evaluation for Health Care
In this module, you will be introduced to the foundational concepts of economic evaluation in health care. We will cover the essential background, key concepts, and definitions that will set the stage for the analytical methods you will learn in the next modules.
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Tailored for healthcare professionals looking to evaluate the costs and benefits of healthcare programs
Introduces foundational economic concepts relevant to healthcare decision-making
Provides practical knowledge and skills in applying cost-effectiveness analysis to guide healthcare services
Covers essential concepts such as Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and decision models (e.g., Decision Trees, Markov Models)
Emphasizes interpretation of cost-effectiveness results for informed decision-making
Suitable for mid-level healthcare professionals, policy analysts, and researchers seeking to enhance their understanding of healthcare economics

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Reviews summary

Health care economic evaluation & decision making

According to students, this course offers an excellent introduction to economic evaluation in healthcare, widely praised for its clear explanations and well-structured content. Learners consistently find the material highly relevant to current challenges, providing practical tools and insights, especially in areas like QALYs, decision trees, and Markov models. While some wished for more advanced or hands-on projects, the course is broadly seen as providing a strong foundational understanding, often described as challenging yet rewarding, and particularly beneficial for public health and healthcare professionals.
Offers a comprehensive introduction for beginners and professionals.
"Excellent introduction to the subject... It provided a solid foundation."
"A good overview... comprehensive enough. Good for beginners in the field."
"It gives me a solid base."
"This course is essential for anyone working in health policy or public health research."
Equips learners with tools for real-world healthcare decision-making.
"This course provided me with the necessary tools to understand and interpret cost-effectiveness studies."
"The content is highly relevant to current healthcare decision-making challenges."
"As a public health professional, I found this course incredibly useful."
"It provides practical insights and a strong conceptual framework."
"I learned how to use practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work."
The course effectively simplifies complex health economic concepts.
"Well-structured course, clear explanation of complex topics."
"The instructors are very knowledgeable and present the material in an engaging way."
"Clear, concise, and highly informative. The instructors explain difficult concepts with ease."
"I appreciate the effort in making complex topics digestible."
A small minority found the lecturing style less engaging or pacing fast.
"I found the lecturing style a bit dry, and the material... could have been more engaging."
"I found the pacing a little fast in some modules, especially for someone new to economic concepts."
"I think a bit more interactive elements would enhance the learning experience."
Some learners desired more advanced practical exercises or software demos.
"I felt some parts could have gone deeper..."
"I wished there were more real-world projects or practical assignments instead of just quizzes."
"Some parts felt a bit theoretical. I would benefit from more practical exercises or software demonstrations if possible."
"I also felt the assignments were too theoretical and didn't offer enough hands-on application."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Cost Effectiveness and Decision Making for Health Care with these activities:
Review basic concepts of statistics and probability
Strengthen your foundation in statistics and probability, as they are prerequisite knowledge for this course.
Browse courses on Statistics
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  • Review statistical concepts such as mean, standard deviation, and confidence intervals.
  • Review probability concepts such as conditional probability and Bayes' theorem.
  • Practice solving problems involving these concepts.
  • Consider using online resources or textbooks for reinforcement.
Compile a glossary of key terms and definitions in economic evaluation
Improve your understanding and retention of key terminology by creating a personalized glossary.
Browse courses on Economic Evaluation
Show steps
  • Review course materials and identify important terms and definitions.
  • Create a list of these terms and their definitions.
  • Organize the terms alphabetically or by topic.
  • Add examples or explanations to enhance understanding.
Solve practice problems on QALY (Quality-Adjusted Life Year) calculation
Reinforce your understanding of QALY, a key outcome measure used in cost-effectiveness studies.
Show steps
  • Review the concept of QALY and its calculation.
  • Practice calculating QALYs using provided examples.
  • Attempt solving QALY calculation problems independently.
  • Review your solutions and identify areas for improvement.
Two other activities
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Watch tutorials on cost-effectiveness analysis modeling
Gain insights into modeling techniques used in cost-effectiveness studies.
Show steps
  • Find online tutorials or courses on cost-effectiveness analysis modeling.
  • Follow the tutorials, taking notes on key concepts and methods.
  • Apply the concepts to practical examples.
  • Consider using software or tools for modeling, if available.
Develop a decision tree or Markov model for a healthcare intervention
Apply your knowledge of modeling techniques to evaluate healthcare interventions.
Browse courses on Decision Tree
Show steps
  • Choose a healthcare intervention to evaluate.
  • Identify relevant outcomes, costs, and uncertainties.
  • Construct a decision tree or Markov model to represent the intervention.
  • Analyze the model to determine the cost-effectiveness of the intervention.
  • Present your findings in a report or presentation.

Career center

Learners who complete Cost Effectiveness and Decision Making for Health Care will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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