Applied Health Economics

Module Aims

• To understand and evaluate the purpose, principles and processes of health economics in healthcare decision making & HTA.
• To understand and critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of health economics in healthcare decision making & HTA in regard to meeting their aims/achieving their purpose.
• To understand the relevance of Health Economic decision making to clinical practice.

Module Content

• Principles of Health Economics
• The role and function of health technology assessment (HTA)
• Common misconceptions of Health Economics & HTA
• Health Economics & HTA as part of Evidence Based Medicine/ Practice (from National, to Sub-National, to Personal Practice)
• The relevance of Health Economics to healthcare professionals
• The effect of budget on decision making

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate processes used in health economic decision making.
2. Demonstrate a working knowledge of health economics used in health technology appraisals.

Module Aims
Develop a critical understanding of the way in which benefits or clinical value are calculated and judged within health economic decision making.

Module Content

• Identifying clinical benefit: Critical Appraisal and Systematic Literature Review
• Length vs. Quality of life (QoL): the Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY)
• Challenges with length of life estimations: time horizons, extrapolation, bias towards the younger patient, the need for future discounting
• Avoidance of negative events
• Critical appraisal of clinical data: Evidence Based Medicine and HTA/Health
• Economic Decision Making
• Critical appraisal of real world data

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate the ability to critically appraise the strengths and limitations of the Quality Adjusted Life Year as a measure of clinical benefit.
2. Demonstrate the ability to apply principles of Evidence Based Medicine to assess the quality of clinical evidence used to support patient benefit within HTA/ health economic decision making.

Module Aims
To develop a critical understanding of the economic burden of chronic diseases, types of economic analyses, establishing pay thresholds and budget impact.

Module Content

• Investigating and establishing the economic burden of disease
• Types of analysis: Cost-effectiveness, Cost-utility and Cost-minimisation
• Exploration and analysis of cost perspectives
• Willingness to pay thresholds
• Establishing budget impact
• Challenges: rare diseases, end of life considerations, unlicensed comparators, affordability and work flow change

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically appraise to budgetary burden of chronic disease.
2. Critically appraise the implementation of health economic analysis and budgetary impact in real life/complex clinical situations.

Module Aims
Develop a critical understanding of data interpretation including levels of evidence and statistical interpretation of data.

Module Content

• Additional Data Sources: Real World Data, Expert Opinion, The Patient’s Voice
• Statistics: Confidence intervals and p-values
• Statistics: Hazard ratios and NNT
• Statistics: Bayesian statistics and Cox model
• Statistics: Sensitivity Analysis and Marginal Analysis
• Statistics: Indirect Comparison and Meta-Analysis

Learning Outcomes

1. Show an ability to critically evaluate the validity of published data.
2. Critically appraise statistical interpretation of scientific data related to health economics.

Module Aims
To develop a critical understanding of the international health economic decision making processes within legal frameworks together with the procurement and tendering processes associated with treatments.

Module Content

• Examine the international Health Economic decision making process
• Legislations vs. Recommendations
• Stakeholders and Payers
• HTA vs. non HTA processes: Procurement, Tendering, and Commissioning
• Evolving Health System policy as it relates to Health Economic decision making
• Maximising patient benefit in healthcare decision making

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically evaluate, understand and contrast the current models of healthcare decision making.
2. Critically appraise the legal basis of economic decision making.

Module Aims
To appreciate and evaluate the process of implementation of Health Technology Appraisals at the regional and local levels. Appreciate and understand the makeup and evaluation of the stakeholder group at regional/local level.

Module Content

• Applying national decisions/guidelines at a subnational level
• Data required to make decisions at a Sub-National level
• Stakeholders/decision makers at a Sub-National level
• Challenges of implementation at national level to meet Sub-National budget constraints
• Implementation of HE analysis at sub national level with real world data
• Budgetary analyses at subnational level with real world data

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically appraise the implementation of HTA advice at the regional and local level, evaluating the challenges of local implementation of national decisions.
2. Critically evaluate stakeholder contributions to decision making at regional/local level.

Aims of the module:

To prepare students for an independent research-based project by developing skills in selecting, appraising, discriminating, using evidence and appropriate research/investigative methods to address relevant topics for investigation.

Module Content:
Quantitative Studies
Statistical Analysis Interpretation
Interpreting the Evidence
Meta-analysis and Systematic Reviews
Qualitative Studies
Evidence Appraisal: Interpreting, Weighing and Synthesising the Evidence
Audit, Governance and Quality Improvement, Health Economics
Preparing a Research Proposal: Research Committees, Consent, Ethics, Probity and Literature Review

Learning outcomes:

1. Critically analyse and interpret research to assess its application to delivery/service development.
2. Evaluate and synthesise diverse methodological approaches and research tools to formulate and investigate complex questions within your field of practice.

Aims of the module:

To formulate the research question that you seek to answer.
To develop an ability to critically evaluate areas of professional practice.
To critically appraise specific areas of clinical, research and organisational practice.
To develop skills in independent research and study.
To develop skills relevant to scientific publications.

Module Content:
The module will depend on the creation of a piece of work based upon a project relevant to the student’s practice. This project may comprise:

Systematic literature review and appraisal of the evidence.
Audit of non-patient data/organisational audit
Review and implementation of evidence-based practice.
Literature review and qualitative or quantitative research proposal.
Case(s)-based and quality of service review with critical appraisal.
Case report, review of literature and organisational assessment.
Secondary data analysis.

Learning outcomes:

1. Synthesise advanced knowledge of research to conceptualise, plan, and execute an original investigation that contributes significant insights to a chosen field of practice.
2. Critically evaluate practice and suggest improvements or change in a chosen healthcare setting.
3. Incorporate knowledge of the research process in developing services appropriately.

As each Medical Council has their own rules/regulations with regard to Postgraduate study we recommend that you contact your local Medical Council with regard to recognition.

Upon completion of the course the University would invite you to a graduation ceremony and provide your certificate which makes no reference to the fact that the course was studied online and is therefore typically recognised the same as any other UK University qualification.

Rest assured, the overall Postgraduate Diploma carries a total of 1,200 CPD points, with the MSc an additional 600 CPD points, and all official certifications are issued directly by the University.

When you study one of our programmes you may be surprised to find that there are no lectures or seminars. Your learning will be self-directed meaning that rather than being told information you find it for yourself (with tutor guidance and support). We do this via a series of clinically rich scenarios which your tutor will post on our academic forum which you and your classmates will research, respond to and discuss.

You will be assessed through the Academic Forum, Reflective Journal and Assignments. Learning will be carried out using our online learning platform: Moodle.

You can study whenever and wherever you want - our programmes are totally flexible to fit around your other work and life commitments.

The course is specifically designed so that part of your study is the application of theory to practice in your day job.

We typically suggest that students aim to log into the Moodle platform daily. We recommend a "little and often" approach for reading, reflection and/or posting. High achieving students will typically spend 1-2 hours dedicated to their studies a day; 10 hours per week is sufficient time to spend on the platform.

Those who cannot dedicate more time than once/twice per week may struggle with the demands of this postgraduate programme.

Yes, everything is done entirely online through our learning platform, Moodle. You do not need to attend the University.

All of our courses are delivered in English, so proficiency in the English language is essential for success. If English is not your first language, we require proof of competency as part of your application. We accept the following as proof of English Language skills:

We Accept a Range of English Language Qualifications
While IELTS and TOEFL are among the most commonly used English tests, we understand that students come from diverse backgrounds — and we’re happy to work with you to accept a wide range of other recognised English language qualifications.

We accept IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
Our most commonly accepted test, IELTS is globally recognised and widely used for university admissions.

We accept TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Another widely accepted test, TOEFL assesses your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in an academic setting.

We accept English Medium of Instruction (EMI) Letters
Many of our international students provide an EMI (English Medium Instruction) letter from their previous institution. This letter should confirm that you were taught in the medium of English. It is a popular and widely accepted form of proof, especially if you have completed prior academic studies in English.

Our University partners Requirements
The University of South Wales accepts an overall score of 6.0 (minimum of 5.5 for each band) and The University of Buckingham accepts an overall score of 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 for each band).

Our Flexible Instalment Plan is designed to offer ultimate flexibility to pay for your programme. You have the choice of two payment options:

Make an Upfront Payment in Full: For those who prefer to settle their fees upfront, you can pay the full amount at the beginning of your programme.

Interest-Free Payments: Alternatively, you can choose to spread your payments out with interest-free instalments every month for the duration of your course.

These options are separate from our existing lending partners, which you can explore further on our programme pages. We believe that education should be accessible to all, and our Flexible Instalment Plan is just one of the ways we are committed to supporting you in your academic journey.

We currently offer two discounts: the Early Bird Discount and the Action Taker Discount. The Early Bird discount allows you to save up to £500 or more, available only to self-funders and is a limited-time offer that runs for the entirety of November for the March cohort or the entirety of May for the September cohort. Our Action Taker Discount allows you to save up to £150 off for PGCert and £250 off for PGDip/2-year MSc programmes. To qualify for Action Takers, you must pay the deposit within 7 days of acceptance.

For Early Bird Discounts, the discount is visible if your application and acceptance are completed within the required timeframe. For Action Taker Discounts, it will reflect once conditions are met.