Health economics

Question 1

basic principles

Answer 1

how much more goes to each disease

Question 2

where should money be spent

Answer 2

early diagnosis? treatment? cure?

Question 3

opportunity cost

Answer 3

the next best use to which the resource could have been put, if they had not been consumed in this activity

Question 4

example of opportunity cost

Answer 4

e. g. physicians time during missed consultation- the time used during one consultation cannot be used for another consultation and hence has a cost
- opportunity cost in this case is the value lost for the consultation that was never carried out

Question 5

one IVF course

Answer 5

1,700

Question 6

one IVF course costs the same a

Answer 6

• 1/3 of a cochlear implant
• 1 heart bypass
• 200 school dinners
• 11 cataract removals
• 150 vaccines for MMR

Question 7

what influences health

Answer 7

occupation hazards, health status index, value of life, utility scaling of health

Question 8

micro-economic evaluation at treatment level

Answer 8

cost effectiveness and cost benefit analysis of alternative ways of delivering care

Question 9

definition of economics

Answer 9

the study of how men and society end up choosing to employ scarce resources that could have alternative uses, to produce various commodities and distribute them for consumption, now or in the future among various people and groups

Question 10

health economics

Answer 10

the application of economic theory, models and empirical techniques to analyse decision making by individuals, health care providers and governments with respect to health and health care

Question 11

government and healthcare systems

Answer 11

governments should be stewards of their national resources… in health this means being ultimately responsible for the careful management of their citizens wellbeing.. for every country it means establishing the best and fairest health system possible.

The health of the people must always be a national priority

Question 12

basis for health economics

Answer 12

1) demands for heath care is infinite
2) resources are scarce
3) choices are necessary
4) costs and benefits must be compared

Question 13

those in charge of deciding whether expensive drugs are available in the UK have to think about

Answer 13

the whole population

- opportunity cost- what is the best use of resources?

Question 14

is it wise to spend £30,000 to extend life by 3 months

Answer 14

when that could be spent on many other important things

Question 15

NICE has to consider

Answer 15

how effective vs how expensive

Question 16

drugs are price for

Answer 16

value and not true cost
-unethical, burden for the healthcare systems

• especially when drugs aren’t cures