Introduction

Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) plays a pivotal role in evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare interventions, programs, and policies. As healthcare costs continue to rise, there is an increasing demand for professionals who can analyze economic data, assess outcomes, and provide evidence-based recommendations for decision-makers. This five-day training course is designed to provide participants with advanced skills in health economics, outcomes research, and economic evaluation methods to help optimize healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will:

• Understand the principles and methodologies used in health economics and outcomes research
• Develop proficiency in cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, and cost-benefit analysis
• Learn how to measure and analyze healthcare outcomes, including quality of life and patient-reported outcomes
• Gain the ability to apply economic evaluations to healthcare interventions and policies
• Understand the regulatory and ethical considerations in HEOR
• Learn how to communicate HEOR results to stakeholders, including policymakers, payers, and healthcare providers

Who Should Attend?

This course is ideal for:

• Healthcare economists, analysts, and researchers
• Professionals working in healthcare policy, health insurance, and reimbursement
• Clinical researchers and healthcare providers interested in understanding economic evaluations
• Decision-makers and strategists in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare organizations
• Graduate students and early-career professionals in health economics and health outcomes research

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Health Economics and Outcomes Research

Introduction to Health Economics

• Key concepts: scarcity, opportunity cost, and economic efficiency
• The role of health economics in healthcare decision-making

Overview of Outcomes Research

• What is outcomes research? Key measures and definitions
• Types of outcomes: clinical, economic, humanistic, and societal outcomes

The Economic Evaluation Framework in Healthcare

• Understanding the framework for evaluating healthcare interventions
• Overview of the decision-making process in healthcare economics

Workshop: Case Study in Health Economics

• Participants analyze a real-world healthcare intervention and its economic implications

Day 2: Economic Evaluation Methods in Healthcare

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA)

• Methodology and applications of CEA in healthcare
• Measuring costs and outcomes in CEA

Cost-Utility Analysis (CUA)

• Understanding Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)
• Applications and limitations of CUA in healthcare decision-making

Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA)

• Comparing costs and benefits in monetary terms
• The challenges and ethical considerations of CBA in healthcare

Workshop: Conducting a Simple Economic Evaluation

• Participants conduct a basic cost-effectiveness analysis using provided data

Day 3: Measuring Healthcare Outcomes

Measuring Clinical Outcomes in HEOR

• Common clinical outcome measures: mortality, morbidity, and hospital readmissions
• How to interpret clinical outcomes in economic evaluations

Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs)

• Understanding PROs and their importance in healthcare research
• Tools for measuring PROs, such as surveys and questionnaires

Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL)

• Measuring HRQoL: instruments and scales (e.g., EQ-5D, SF-36)
• The relationship between HRQoL and economic evaluations

Workshop: Analyzing Patient-Reported Outcomes

• Participants evaluate and interpret PRO data from a healthcare intervention

Day 4: Advanced Topics in Health Economics and Policy

Modeling in Health Economics

• Introduction to decision-analytic modeling (e.g., Markov models, cohort models)
• The role of modeling in predicting long-term outcomes and economic impacts

Economic Evaluation in Health Policy

• How health economics informs policy decisions
• Assessing the economic impact of public health interventions and policies

Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research

• Economic evaluations in low- and middle-income countries
• Addressing global health challenges through health economics

Workshop: Building a Health Economic Model

• Participants use a basic decision-analytic model to evaluate a healthcare intervention

Day 5: Communicating HEOR Results and Real-World Applications

Translating HEOR Results for Policymakers and Stakeholders

• How to communicate complex economic data to non-expert stakeholders
• Preparing reports and presentations for decision-makers in healthcare

Regulatory and Ethical Considerations in HEOR

• Ethical issues in conducting and applying economic evaluations
• Regulatory frameworks and guidelines for HEOR (e.g., NICE, ISPOR)

The Future of Health Economics and Outcomes Research

• Emerging trends: value-based healthcare, big data, and personalized medicine
• How HEOR is shaping the future of healthcare delivery

Final Workshop: HEOR Application to a Healthcare Scenario

• Participants apply course concepts to a real-world healthcare policy or intervention
• Group presentations and feedback from experts

Closing Session and Certification

• Course wrap-up, participant reflections, and next steps