Health Economics
| Module title | Health Economics |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEEM014 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Xiaohui Zhang (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
This unit introduces you to key conceptual frameworks and principles of health economics. It examines how both the UK and international health care systems are financed and funded. The unit will examine the core theories of supply and demand in health care, including the importance of information (and information asymmetry), the critical role of insurance, hospital financing and delivery, long-term care organisation, pay-for-performance schemes, private/public mix in finance and provision of health care, and economic epidemiology.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The principal method of learning is through discussion, analysis and, case study based learning approaches. This module equips you with fundamental health economics and public health knowledge, which is essential for working in the government and health related industries, such as health care providers.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate competent knowledge of the health economics and public health;
- 2. demonstrate competent knowledge of the key economic trade-offs implied in different healthcare allocation problems;
- 3. demonstrate competent knowledge of the economic reasons behind trends in health care system development;
- 4. demonstrate competent knowledge of the way different health systems address these fundamental trade-offs;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. apply economic and statistical tools to concrete health economics issues that arise in the work place;
- 6. critically evaluate a research design used to identify the effects of a health policy;
- 7. provide policy recommendations to different types of market failure.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. Demonstrate ability to give oral presentation;
- 9. Demonstrate ability to communicate verbally.
Syllabus plan
- Essential microeconomics toolkit
- Health economics: why is it relevant? What is so special about health?
- Demand for health care
- Demand for health: the Grossman model
- Socioeconomic disparities in health
- Population aging and its impact on health care cost
- The labour market for physicians
- The hospital industry
- Economic epidemiology
- Healthy lifestyle: obesity and its consequences
- Cost and cost-effectiveness analysis
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Health insurance markets
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | 123 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 22 | Lectures (2 hours per week) |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 5 | Tutorials |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial Questions | 1 hour per fortnight | 1-9 | Verbal |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 0 | 40 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Presentation | 40 | 40 minutes | 1-9 | Comments after presentation |
| Essay | 50 | 2000 words | 1-7 | Comments in paper |
| Class Participation | 10 | Ongoing | 1-9 | Class attendance and discussion |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual presentation | Recorded individual presentation (40 minutes) (40%) | 1-9 | August Reassessment Period |
| Essay | Essay (2000 words) (50%) | 1-7 | August Reassessment Period |
| Class Participation | Reflection of engagement in the module (700 words) (10%) | 1-9 | August Reassessment Period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
Peter Zweifel, Friedrich Breyer. and Mathias Kifmann, Health Economics, 2nd ed Springer
Frank A. Sloan and Chee-Ruey Hsieh, Health Economics, The MIT Press
Jay Bhattacharya, Timothy Hyde and Peter Tu, Health Economics. Palgrave Macmillan
Jan Abel Olsen, Principles in Health Economics and Policy, Oxford University Press
| 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 | 08/09/2016 |
| Last revision date | 07/07/2022 |
