Health Economics and Outcomes Research / 가정의학회지

ABSTRACT

Health conomics refers to the scientific discipline that compares the value of one healthcare program to another. It is a sub-discipline of Micro-economics. A health economic study evaluates the cost (expressed in monetary terms) and effects (expressed in terms of monetary value, efficacy or enhanced quality of life) of a healthcare program or product. We can distinguish several types of health economic evaluation cost-minimization analysis, cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-utility analysis. Health economics studies serve to guide optimal healthcare resource allocation, in a standardized and scientifically grounded manner. Health economics research facilitates the translation of health technology assessment into useful information for healthcare decision-makers to ensure that society allocates scarce health care resources wisely, fairly and efficiently. Health economics usually evaluate the outcomes like clinical, economics and humanistic outcomes per costs. Health economics research include pharmacoeconomics, clinical epidemiology, decision analysis, modeling, risk assessment, patient-reported outcomes (quality of life), database analyses, observational studies, and patients registries.