Health technology assessment is a growing area of multidisciplinary research closely related to health economics. It deals with the balance between costs and health effects of new and existing health care programs. Health technology assessment research attempts to estimate several types of costs and health effects in a systematic and consistent way in order to provide evidence for the relative cost-effectiveness of health care programs. Policy makers in health care are increasingly using the results of these studies in making choices on priorities in health care.

This course examines both theoretical and practical knowledge of Health technology assessment studies. It also provides training for development and performance of Health technology assessment and critical review of validity and applicability of Health technology assessment studies.

On completion of this course students will be able to:

1. understand the theory and practice of health technology assessments (HTA);

2. develop and perform standard HTA-studies;

3. critically review HTA-studies, in order to judge their validity and applicability.

50% Essay and 50% Classwork.

Six sessions, each comprising a Lecture, practicum and discussion, taught over 13 weeks

Department consent required

Recommended Course:  MEDI8108 Principles of Health Economics and Financing

The course will give students both theoretical and practical knowledge about health technology assessment.

Chapter one of the prescribed text:Drummond MF, O'Brien B, Stoddart GL, Torrance GW. Basic types of economic evaluation. Methods for the economic evaluation of health care programmes. Oxford University Press. Oxford 1997