Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)
Study Course Description

Health Care Economics

Main Study Course Information

Course Code
SVUEK_048
Branch of Science
Clinical medicine; Public and environmental health
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Public Health
LQF
Level 7
Study Type And Form
Full-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor
Structure Unit Manager
Structural Unit
Institute of Public Health
Contacts

Riga, 9 Kronvalda boulevard, svek@rsu.lv, +371 67338307

About Study Course

Objective

Aim of the course is to give students knowledge of health economics, by supplementing it with a health care organization theory and practice issues.

Preliminary Knowledge

Basics in knowledge in market economics.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.Student will know and understand: • the internationally accepted basic values and health policy that is based on values; the main international and Latvian health policy documents; • health care financing system in the world, the Latvian system characteristics according to international classification; • the organizational structure of Latvian health care; • Latvian health care laws and regulations; • health care cost structure and needs, Latvian service procurement principles; • economic analysis of the costs of health.

Skills

1.The students will be able to: • assess the Latvian health financing system; • orientate themselves in Latvian national health care organizational structure and its management.

Competences

1.Critically evaluate and use the data of health services cost economic analysis, to use them in the guidance and planning of research work.

Assessment

Individual work

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Individual work

-
-
Work with the learning materials and preparation of a presentation.

Examination

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Examination

-
-
The control of oral knowledge and understanding during the lessons. Group work and presentation. Written exam.

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME
Part 1
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
1

Topics

The usage of the concept of economics in health care. Healthcare economic concept and its definition variations in public health sciences. Law and governance of health care organizations and companies.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
4

Topics

The concept of welfare economic and its application. Health care regulation and management analysis.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
1

Topics

Health care systems in Latvia and in the world. Health care funding – the current situation and development trends.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
4

Topics

Demand and supply in health care and welfare economics.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
1

Topics

Political and economic preconditions of care and service provision and production business. Production possibility frontier – the concept in health care. The concept of equality in health care – the formation and the role of the concept in public health science.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
4

Topics

Production possibility frontier – demarcation in welfare economics. Equity as efficiency balance. Importance of equity in health care economics.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
4

Topics

Economic systems and its types in health care. Specifics of health care market equilibrium and market analysis processes and systems.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
1

Topics

Care management and insurance nature and importance in health care and economic. Trade and business permits and mandate system, regulation and administration.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
4

Topics

Health care business pricing mechanisms and profit trends and analysis. The presentation of the analysis of health care organization or company's economic situation and the operational framework.
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
24 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam (Written)

Bibliography

Required Reading

1.

The Economics of Health and Health Care. S. Folland, AC. Goodman and M. Stano. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2017.

2.

Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programs. MF. Drummond, MJ. Sculpher, K.Claxton, GL. Stoddart and GW. Torrance. Oxford University Press 2015, Illustrated 4th Edition.

Additional Reading

1.

Anand, S. and Hanson Kara. DALYs: Efficiency versus Equity. World Development 1998, 26(2): 307-310.

2.

Cohen, DR. and Patel, N. The potential to forgo social welfare gains through over reliance on cost effectiveness/cost utility analyses in the evidence base for public health. Journal of Environmental and Public Health 2009, 2009: 1-7.

3.

Donaldson, C. and Shackley, P. Health economics and public health. In: Oxford Textbook of Public Health. 6th ed. Detels, R. et al. (eds.). Oxford. OUP. 2022.

4.

Exworthy M. Bindman A. Davies. HU. and Washington AE. Evidence into policy and practice Measuring the progress of US and UK policies to tackle disparities and inequalities in US and UK health and health care. Milbank Quarterly 2006; 84(1):75-109.

5.

Geoffrey, R. Sick Individuals and Sick Populations. International Journal of Epidemiology 1985, 14(1): 32-38.

6.

Grieve, R., Sekhon, JS. Hu, TW and Bloom, J. Evaluating health care programs by combining cost with quality of life measures: a case study comparing capitation and Fee for Service. Health services research 2008, 43(4): 1204-1222.

7.

Herbener, JM. The Pareto Rule and Welfare Economics. Review of Austrian Economics 1997, 10(1): 79-106.

8.

Marmot, M. Achieving health equity: from root causes to fair outcomes. Lancet 2007, 370: 1153-1163.

9.

Sen, A. Why health equity? Health Economics 2002, 11: 659–666.

10.

Stolk, EA., Pickee, SJ., Ament, AHJA and Busschbach, JJV. Equity in healthcare prioritization: An empirical inquiry into social value. Health Policy 2005, 74: 343-355.

11.

Weatherly, H., Drummond, M. and Claxton, K. Methods for assessing the cost-effectiveness of public health interventions: Key challenges and recommendations. Health Policy 2009, 93(2): 85-92.