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Health Economics: An Introduction for Clinicians
- MICHAEL DRUMMOND, Ph.D.;
- GREG STODDART, Ph.D.;
- ROBERTA LABELLE, M.A.; and
- ROBERT CUSHMAN, M.D.
Abstract
Economic issues have had a growing importance in the health care field as the sector's share of the gross national product has risen. Clinicians are under increasing pressure to adopt more cost-effective treatment practices as a result of initiatives being taken by the major third-party payers, government, and business. However, recent publications suggest that there are some misconceptions about economics in health care and the extent to which it is in conflict with good clinical practice. To provide a foundation for the understanding of this field by clinicians, we have outlined several basic notions of health economics.
- cost benefit analysis
- cost control
- decision making
- delivery of health care
- diagnostic-related groups
- economics, hospital
- economics, medical
- health maintenance organizations
- health planning
- health policy
- health resources
- health services needs and demand
- insurance, health reimbursement
- preferred provider organizations
- prospective payment system
Article and Author Information
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▸From the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; and the Departments of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Economics, McMaster University; the Ottawa Carleton Regional Health Department; and the Department of Community Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
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▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to Michael Drummond, Ph.D.; Director, Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham, Park House, 40 Edgbaston Park Road; Birmingham B15 2RT, United Kingdom.
- ©1987 American College of Physicians
