Health Economics An Introduction for Health Professionals

This book provides all the necessary information in a readable style that can be understood by anyone with even the most basic knowledge of mathematics Health Economics is ideal for all health professionals who are required to make policy decisions ? including hospital managers, clinical directors and partners in family practices. It is suited to health policy makers at national level as well as those in local trusts. The clear and concise way in which the book is written also makes it a perfect introductory text for students of health economics.

Health Economics provides you with the tools to:

• Read and critique economic evaluations
• Understand the economic forces at work in specific environments
• Make optimum choices in terms of benefits and outcomes

1 Introduction.

2 Organisation and funding of health care services.

3 The costs of health care.

4 The benefits of health care: outputs and outcomes.

5 Evaluating health care interventions from an economic perspective.

6 The role of health economics in decision making.

7 Conclusions and the way forward.

Ceri Philips, Centre for Health Economics and Policy Studies, School of Health Science, University of Wales - Swansea.