Course Outline

PUB711 Foundations of Health Economic Evaluation

Course Coordinator:Katharina Merollini (kmerolli@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Public Health

2025Session 6

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

This course introduces key concepts in health economics relevant for economic evaluation, such as (cost-)effectiveness, equity, and efficacy. You will learn about the importance of economic evaluation for health care and public health decision making in the context of limited resources and competing demands. You will acquire knowledge and skills in different economic evaluation methods, including relevant steps in study design, interpretation of results, and how economic evidence can be used for public policy priority setting and resource allocation.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Online
Online – 5 hours of structured online learning materials plus optional 1-hour online consultation session 6hrs Week 1 8 times

Course Topics

  • Health economics foundation theory and concepts including cost-effectiveness, cost-utility and cost-benefit, and cost-minimisation analysis.
  • Economic evaluation design and methods.
  • Role of economic evaluation evidence in health-related decision-making.
  • Process and steps of designing a health economic evaluation, including sourcing and measuring costs, and consequences of competing alternatives.
  • Interpretation of results of economic evaluations.

What level is this course?

700 Level (Specialised)

Demonstrating a specialised body of knowledge and set of skills for professional practice or further learning. Advanced application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * International Union for Health Promotion and Education
1 Apply health economic theory and concepts to the Australian health care and public health contexts. Knowledgeable
Empowered
Engaged
A.5, A.10, A.11, 9.1, 9.5
2 Determine contemporary economic evaluation methods and design components of economic evaluations. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Ethical
A.6, B.6, A.8, B.8, B.10, A.11, 6.2, 6.3, 8.2, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4
3 Critically appraise and reflect on the strengths and limitations of health economic evidence in informing decision making and policy design. Knowledgeable
Empowered
Sustainability-focussed
A.5, A.8, A.10, B.10, A.11, 6.2, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.5

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
International Union for Health Promotion and Education
A.5 Addressing the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental, behavioural and biological determinants of health and wellbeing
A.6 Ensuring that health promotion action is beneficial and causes no harm
B.6 The current theories and evidence which underpin effective leadership, advocacy and partnership building and their implication for health promotion action
A.8 Seeking the best available information and evidence needed to implement effective policies and programmes that influence health
B.8 The evidence base and research methods, including qualitative and quantitative methods, required to inform and evaluate health promotion action
A.10 Sustainable development and sustainable health promotion action
B.10 The systems, policies and legislation which impact on health and their relevance for health promotion.
A.11 Being accountable for the quality of one's own practice and taking responsibility for maintaining and improving knowledge and skills
6.2 Use a variety of assessment methods including quantitative and qualitative research methods
6.3 Collect, review and appraise relevant data, information and literature to inform health promotion action
8.2 Develop, pilot and use appropriate resources and materials
9.1 Identify and use appropriate health promotion evaluation tools and research methods
9.2 Integrate evaluation into the planning and implementation of all health promotion action
9.3 Use evaluation findings to refine and improve health promotion action
9.4 Use research and evidence-based strategies to inform practice
9.5 Contribute to the development and dissemination of health promotion evaluation and research processes

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Enrolled in any postgraduate program

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

You will be provided with practice opportunities in week 2 to help you prepare for Task 1.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Written Piece Individual 35%
1200 words
Week 3 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Written Piece Individual 65%
2000 words
Week 8 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Economic evaluation study critical appraisal
Goal:
To demonstrate your skills in the critical appraisal of a health economic evaluation.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Critical assessment, using the knowledge and skills gained throughout the course, to critique a published health economic study which will be allocated to you. More details will be provided in Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Appropriate interpretation of the results of the economic evaluation.
1
2
Application of relevant economic evaluation principles and concepts to support appraisal argument.
1 2
3
Critique of the findings of the economic evaluation.
3
4
Quality of the communication of the appraisal findings.
1
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 2:Economic evaluation design
Goal:
To demonstrate your skills in designing a health economic evaluation.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
You will design an evidence-based health economic evaluation. More details will be provided in Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Application of economic evaluation evidence to design a health economic evaluation.
1 2 3
2
Accuracy of the process and steps used to design a health economic evaluation.
1 2 3
3
Appropriateness of the economic evaluation evidence to inform health related decision making and policy.
1 2 3
4
Quality of the communication of the health economic evaluation design.
1 2 3
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation

Assessment to competency mapping

Programme Delivery Mode Assessment Type Title Competency Teaching Methods
The CompHP Core Competencies Framework for Health Promotion 2011
All delivery modes Written Piece Economic evaluation study critical appraisal 9.3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
B.7 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
B.8 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
Economic evaluation design 9.3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
B.8 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
B.10 Taught, Practiced, Assessed

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

Schedule

Period and Topic Activities
n/a
n/a

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Michael Drummond,Mark J. Sculpher,Karl Claxton,Greg L. Stoddart,George W. Torrance 2015 Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes 4th Oxford University Press, USA

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

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