Health Economic Research
The research done at HEFUU aims to contribute to more equal health care.
There are four focus areas in which the Centre for Health Economic Research hope to contribute. These areas are related to evaluations with observational data, methods for pricing and reimbursement, equal access to health care, and the consequences of resource limitations. There is value in approaching these areas from an interdisciplinary perspective where different disciplines in medicine, pharmacy and social science can complement one another.
Focus Areas
Methods for Evaluating Medical Interventions in Clinical Practice
There is a great demand for evaluations of various interventions with real-world data. In economics and applied statistical research, there is comprehensive knowledge of measuring the effects of different kinds of interventions with observational data. However, these methods are currently less often used in medical research. We see the potential to collaborate across disciplines to develop and implement strategies to measure the effects of medical interventions.
Developing Methods for Pricing and Reimbursement
There is room for independent research on methods that can support the evaluations that are currently the basis for the pricing of health care and medication. In Sweden today, prices are set based on the societal value a medication has shown in clinical medical trials. As new medicines are introduced, and new treatment methods are developed, the pricing system will need to be reviewed. Here economics research and business research can contribute to an understanding of how optimal contracts can be designed in diverse situations.
Equal Access to Healthcare
The design of the reimbursement and pricing models currently in place create different incentives among practitioners in health care. The pricing models can also influence decision-makers priorities regarding patient groups, which may have socioeconomic consequences. It is, therefore, essential to understand how different control models can be evaluated in relationship to the underlying legislation and how implementing these decisions can influence access to health care.
Consequences of Resource Limitations
Financing problems and resource limitations in health- and medical care create organizational challenges where the risks of quality defects must be balanced against the value of added resources. Understaffing, overcrowding in emergency medical care, and queues to specialized care can lead to impaired and delayed care. It is crucial for research to contribute with an increased understanding of how savings, overcrowding, queues, and lack of critical people affect the quality of health care and to what extent this leads to increased costs and unequal access to care.