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Book Details
Abstract
Health economics applies the tools of economic analysis to the problems of health care finance and delivery. This introductory text uses clear, non-technical language to explain the available economic tools, and critically examine their strengths and weaknesses in relation to health policy and management issues.
GEORGE PALMER is Emeritus Professor of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of New South Wales, Australia. His previous publications include Health Care and Public Policy: An Australian Analysis 3e (Palgrave Macmillan Australia).
TESSA HO is Associate Professor and Associate Dean (Curriculum) at the University of Sydney, Australia. Her research interests include health policy, medical education and global health.
"This book would be an asset to any study or students of health policy and service evaluation." - Vasso Vydelingum, University of Ulster, UK
"Comprehensive and contemporary." - Christine Furber, University of Manchester, UK
"Provides essential background reference to the politics of healthcare delivers." - Nicola Armstrong, Staffordshire University, UK
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover | Cover | ||
| Contents | v | ||
| List of Tables | ix | ||
| List of Figures | x | ||
| Abbreviations | xi | ||
| Acknowledgements | xiii | ||
| Preface | xiv | ||
| 1 Introduction | 1 | ||
| What is economics and what is health economics? | 1 | ||
| United States and British perspectives | 3 | ||
| Structuring of the content | 3 | ||
| Outline of chapter content | 4 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 9 | ||
| 2 Overview of the Discipline of Economics | 10 | ||
| Definitions of 'economics' | 10 | ||
| The criticisms of neoclassical economics | 18 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 20 | ||
| Further reading | 20 | ||
| Discussion questions | 20 | ||
| 3 An Introduction to the Literature of Health Economics | 22 | ||
| Overview | 22 | ||
| The contributions of influential health economists | 26 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 37 | ||
| Further reading | 37 | ||
| Discussion questions | 38 | ||
| 4 The Tools of Economists as Applied to Health: The Supply Side | 39 | ||
| Background | 39 | ||
| The role of models in economic theory | 41 | ||
| Modelling the behaviour of the firm | 42 | ||
| Hospital production issues and models | 48 | ||
| Hospital casemix | 48 | ||
| Production function issues | 49 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 52 | ||
| Further reading | 53 | ||
| Discussion questions | 53 | ||
| 5 The Tools of Economists as Applied to Health: The Demand Side | 55 | ||
| Background | 55 | ||
| The neoclassical model of consumer demand | 55 | ||
| The demand for health and health services | 59 | ||
| Supplier-induced demand/utilisation (SID) | 61 | ||
| Empirical studies of the demand for health services | 65 | ||
| The 'need' for health services | 67 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 72 | ||
| Further reading | 73 | ||
| Discussion questions | 73 | ||
| 6 The Macroeconomics of Health Services: Health Expenditure, Financing and Utilisation | 74 | ||
| What is Macroeconomics? | 74 | ||
| National health data | 75 | ||
| The challenge of financing reforms | 79 | ||
| Health insurance: Public and private | 84 | ||
| A critique of the theory of welfare economics | 90 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 91 | ||
| Further reading | 92 | ||
| Discussionquestions | 93 | ||
| 7 The Economics and Planning of the Health Workforce | 94 | ||
| Background | 94 | ||
| The need for workforce planning | 95 | ||
| Scope for the application of economic insights | 95 | ||
| Definitions and measurement of surpluses and shortages | 97 | ||
| International comparisons | 98 | ||
| The medical workforce | 98 | ||
| Rapid shifts between perceived shortages and surpluses | 101 | ||
| Planning methods | 106 | ||
| Flat of the curve Medicine and SID | 109 | ||
| Doctor remuneration | 111 | ||
| The nursing workforce | 116 | ||
| Recent workforce studies | 117 | ||
| International study of the perceptions of nurses | 120 | ||
| Statistical requirements for nursing workforce planning | 121 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 122 | ||
| Further reading | 123 | ||
| Discussion questions | 123 | ||
| 8 Economic Methods in Health Services Evaluation | 125 | ||
| Background | 125 | ||
| The methods of economic evaluation 1 | 129 | ||
| The methods of economic evaluation 2 | 131 | ||
| Applications of economic evaluation | 138 | ||
| Evaluation of the achievement of equity goals | 140 | ||
| Other economic evaluation methods | 141 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 141 | ||
| Further reading | 143 | ||
| Discussion questions | 143 | ||
| 9 Translating Health Economic Evidence into Policy and Practice | 144 | ||
| Background | 144 | ||
| The role of economics in clinical practice and management | 144 | ||
| Economic logic and medical ethics | 150 | ||
| Economic logic and clinical management | 152 | ||
| Management and economic tools | 155 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 157 | ||
| Further reading | 158 | ||
| Discussion questions | 158 | ||
| 10 Comparison of the Methods of Organising,Providing and Funding Health Services Internationally | 160 | ||
| Overview of health care systems | 160 | ||
| The OECD data | 161 | ||
| Examples of important OECD health data | 166 | ||
| Modelling health care systems | 178 | ||
| Country case studies | 182 | ||
| The United States | 182 | ||
| The United Kingdom | 188 | ||
| Australia | 192 | ||
| Canada | 196 | ||
| Switzerland | 199 | ||
| The Netherlands | 201 | ||
| Sweden | 204 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 207 | ||
| Further reading | 210 | ||
| Discussion questions | 210 | ||
| 11 Health Economics and Developing Countries | 212 | ||
| Introduction | 212 | ||
| Evolution of international health economics | 213 | ||
| Globalisation and developing countries in the 2000s | 215 | ||
| 2010 and beyond for developing countries | 221 | ||
| Summary and conclusions | 222 | ||
| Further reading | 223 | ||
| Discussion questions | 223 | ||
| 12 Summary, Conclusions and Advice | 225 | ||
| Introduction | 225 | ||
| The history of economic thought | 225 | ||
| The relevance of neoclassical economics to health services issues | 226 | ||
| The domination of health economics by the United States and the United Kingdom | 227 | ||
| Problems and issues in other countries | 229 | ||
| International comparisons of health care systems | 230 | ||
| Perspectives on priorities of health economics | 231 | ||
| Concluding homilies | 234 | ||
| Glossary of Terms | 235 | ||
| Bibliography | 258 | ||
| Index | 294 |