Program Overview
This five-day short course explores the economic implications of genomic medicine. It examines the potential impact on healthcare systems, patients, and families, as well as the costs and benefits of new clinical and technological approaches. Participants will learn to evaluate the role of genomic technologies in healthcare decision-making, using health economic methods and considering factors that determine the effects of rapid technological development.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This five-day short course provides an understanding of economic evaluations used in genomic medicine. It explores the potential impact of genomic medicine and technologies on the healthcare system, its patients, and their families. The course uses health economic evaluation methods to demonstrate the potential costs and benefits of new clinical and technological approaches.
Objectives:
- Understand the use of health economic information in decision-making related to genomic medicine.
- Explore the potential impact of genomic medicine and technologies on the healthcare system, patients, and families.
- Learn about the costs and benefits of new clinical and technological approaches in genomic medicine.
- Analyze the factors that determine the effects of rapid technological development on healthcare systems.
- Evaluate the role and influence of government, doctors, and the public in shaping healthcare systems.
- Propose ways to address perceived shortcomings in healthcare systems.
Outline:
Module Content:
- Critically evaluate the different types of economic evaluation used in genomic medicine:
- Definition and purpose of economic evaluation
- The concept of opportunity cost in economic evaluation
- Measuring outcomes in the context of an economic evaluation
- Types of economic evaluation:
- Cost-effectiveness analysis
- Cost-utility analysis
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Types of health outcome measures to assess new genomic interventions
- The limitations of using health outcome measures in the context of diseases where treatments may not be available.
- Cost per quality-adjusted life year
- Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs)
- Describe how to undertake a budget impact analysis in genomic medicine.
- Discuss how healthcare decision-makers use health economic evidence when deciding how to prioritize health care interventions in genomic medicine.
Structure:
- The course is delivered over 5 days.
- It is shared with two additional MSc programmes in Public Health and Health Economics.
Teaching:
- The teaching is shared with two additional MSc programmes in Public Health and Health Economics.
- The module leads are Dr Sue Jowett (Reader in Health Economics, Institute of Applied Health Research).
Other:
- The course is offered as a stand-alone assessed or non-assessed course.
- The UK Government is committed to producing high-quality evidence-based genomic medicine.
- Technological advances in genomic medicine have led to new tests with major impact on improving disease diagnosis and effectiveness of treatments.
- The continuous growth in the use of genomic technologies has cost implications.
- The course does not have a specific genomic focus, although students will be encouraged to consider the genomic applications.
