Economics of Health Systems
Ökonomie der Gesundheitssysteme
6 CPWinterEN
Contents
• WHO health system building blocks • Deals with core aspects of health economics: • the scarcity of resources in the health care system and how to deal with it • Applies economic methods and theories to the health care system, e.g. supply and demand of health services • Analyzes the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the use of health resources • Considers the tension between medical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness • Deals with questions of quality and fair distribution of health services
Learning outcomes
The aim of this course is to understand how health systems function. Based on the WHO "building blocks" framework, students gain an overview of key health system stakeholders, financial flows, and the governance and regulation of health systems. A basic understanding of economics and management is imparted, as well as initial analytical skills to reflect on the relationship between the individual building blocks and their influence on health systems. Ethical perspective In addition to economic goals, the focus is on questions of justice and equality in the health care system. Health economists must find the balance between economic and ethical aspects.Overall, it is clear that health economics is an interdisciplinary field that deals with the efficient and ethically justifiable allocation of scarce resources in the health care system. Interdisciplinary course offering that combines business and economics, social sciences and medical informatics.
Assessment
written exam 120 min
Literature (2)
- "Health Economics" by Charles E. Phelps - A standard textbook that provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of health economics, including the analysis of supply and demand in the healthcare sector.
- "The Economics of Health and Health Care" by Sherman Folland, Allen C. Goodman, and Miron Stano - Covers the application of economic concepts to healthcare and health policy issues.
Remarks
on campus or online lecture
Source: BTU's module description · retrieved 29 Sep 2026Original