University of York
York, UK
I had the privilege to take a part in the foundation and advanced course on Decision Analytic Modelling for Economic Evaluation, at the Centre for Health Economics, University of York. The centre has a world reputation for being a major powerhouse in health economics.
Founded in 1983 and as one of the first university departments of its type, the Centre for Health Economics is a leading influence on UK health policy, helping shape the way society thinks about health and health care. And as the NHS grapples with financial pressures combined with one of the most controversial and far-reaching reorganizations in its history, research carried out in CHE looks set to remain central to decisions about where and how increasingly limited budgets are spent.
Over the last three decades, CHE has examined the economic case for drugs and treatments available for some of the most enduring health conditions including cancer, asthma, and heart disease. They have studied the effectiveness of public health campaigns targeting smoking and alcohol, examined waiting times, hospital efficiency, and compared the costs and benefits of hundreds of surgical techniques and interventions. These sorts of decisions have been made throughout the history of the health service, but it is better they are made on the basis of objective evidence and research - and that’s what CHE provides.
Work carried out has included the development of the formula used for more than 20 years to allocate health resources equitably across England, a model which influenced the approach taken in countries such as Brazil and Finland. CHE also developed the Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) measurement, the gold standard measure of the quantity and quality of life, a concept which underpins NICE assessments. The World Health Organisation (WHO) uses variations of the QALY measurement for planning health services around the globe.
I first joined the two-day course, an introduction to the principles and practice of decision modeling for economic evaluation in health, and then the three-day course focusing on advanced modeling methods for economic evaluation. This course is a collaboration between the Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment at the University of Glasgow and the Centre for Health Economics at the University of York.
The course is aimed at health economists and those health professionals with experience in health economics who wish to develop skills and knowledge in decision analysis for purposes of cost-effectiveness analysis. It is designed for participants who are familiar with the basic principles of economic evaluation who wish to build, interpret and appraise decision models. I feel like I fast-forwarded the whole doctorate in health economics.
I found the teaching of Marc Schulper ("Markov Chains and Beyond"), Andrew Briggs ("Fitting Distributions and Drawing Simulations"), and Karl Claxton ("Bayesian Decision Theory and Value of Information Analysis") not only superb but thoroughly entertaining. The joy is all too “perverse” if we remember that it is health economics I’m talking about.
I am thoroughly satisfied with the course and the whole experience. Coming back with a new feel for the domain, practical skills (exercises were an integral part of the course) and network is all too wonderful. The social dinners at the Merchant Taylors and St. William’s College were splendid too. The team behind the course, many books that I consult daily, and the Centre is organizing the Expert Workshops as well, with lectures by the top experts like Michael Drummond.
“Are we all happy?” was the phrase heard many times during those five days.
I am quite happy, although many lectures gave me a pretty nasty headache :)
I had the privilege to take a part in the foundation and advanced course on Decision Analytic Modelling for Economic Evaluation, at the Centre for Health Economics, University of York. The centre has a world reputation for being a major powerhouse in health economics.
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| THE COURSE DINNER AT THE ST. WILLIAM'S COLLEGE |
Founded in 1983 and as one of the first university departments of its type, the Centre for Health Economics is a leading influence on UK health policy, helping shape the way society thinks about health and health care. And as the NHS grapples with financial pressures combined with one of the most controversial and far-reaching reorganizations in its history, research carried out in CHE looks set to remain central to decisions about where and how increasingly limited budgets are spent.
Over the last three decades, CHE has examined the economic case for drugs and treatments available for some of the most enduring health conditions including cancer, asthma, and heart disease. They have studied the effectiveness of public health campaigns targeting smoking and alcohol, examined waiting times, hospital efficiency, and compared the costs and benefits of hundreds of surgical techniques and interventions. These sorts of decisions have been made throughout the history of the health service, but it is better they are made on the basis of objective evidence and research - and that’s what CHE provides.
Work carried out has included the development of the formula used for more than 20 years to allocate health resources equitably across England, a model which influenced the approach taken in countries such as Brazil and Finland. CHE also developed the Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) measurement, the gold standard measure of the quantity and quality of life, a concept which underpins NICE assessments. The World Health Organisation (WHO) uses variations of the QALY measurement for planning health services around the globe.
.JPG "University of York - Copyright Grustam © 2014") |
| MARC SCHULPER AND ANDREW BRIGGS IN AN OPENING LECTURE |
I first joined the two-day course, an introduction to the principles and practice of decision modeling for economic evaluation in health, and then the three-day course focusing on advanced modeling methods for economic evaluation. This course is a collaboration between the Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment at the University of Glasgow and the Centre for Health Economics at the University of York.
The course is aimed at health economists and those health professionals with experience in health economics who wish to develop skills and knowledge in decision analysis for purposes of cost-effectiveness analysis. It is designed for participants who are familiar with the basic principles of economic evaluation who wish to build, interpret and appraise decision models. I feel like I fast-forwarded the whole doctorate in health economics.
I found the teaching of Marc Schulper ("Markov Chains and Beyond"), Andrew Briggs ("Fitting Distributions and Drawing Simulations"), and Karl Claxton ("Bayesian Decision Theory and Value of Information Analysis") not only superb but thoroughly entertaining. The joy is all too “perverse” if we remember that it is health economics I’m talking about.
I am thoroughly satisfied with the course and the whole experience. Coming back with a new feel for the domain, practical skills (exercises were an integral part of the course) and network is all too wonderful. The social dinners at the Merchant Taylors and St. William’s College were splendid too. The team behind the course, many books that I consult daily, and the Centre is organizing the Expert Workshops as well, with lectures by the top experts like Michael Drummond.
“Are we all happy?” was the phrase heard many times during those five days.
I am quite happy, although many lectures gave me a pretty nasty headache :)
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