[:pb]

Challenges of Healthcare Systems

The increase in life expectancy and the consequent aging of the population, together with the predominance of chronic/degenerative diseases, has required that the health area update itself and invest more and more in diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases.

However, the reality of health is one of constant scarcity of resources. That is why it is important that any decision is preceded by a thorough evaluation of the costs generated and benefits provided to patients and the healthcare system.

Health Economics

This scenario motivated the approximation of two apparently unrelated areas: health and economics, and from this junction came Health Economics, a discipline that is already part of the schedules of several courses related to the subject and the health system in general.

Although technically new in Brazil, Health Economics has proven to be fundamental in helping managers in the area to assess the best way to allocate available resources, seeking to optimize clinical, economic and humanistic results.

Several economics concepts and techniques are already used to resolve impasses that affect the healthcare system on a daily basis. In a pragmatic way, to answer whether or not a new drug or equipment should be incorporated into a health system, it is necessary to know whether its global cost compensates for the gains it provides.

Health Economics in Healthcare Technology Assessment

The Healthcare Technology Assessment (HTA) is the process of investigating the clinical, economic and social results of the use of health technologies, such as medicines, equipment, systems and procedures through which the healthcare service is provided. It aims to analyze the clinical, social, ethical and economic implications of the development, diffusion and use of health technology.

Through the technical subsidies provided by Health Economy, the HTA makes the analysis of clinical aspects weighted by economic aspects of a technology feasible.

In this way, the paradigm of making decisions in Health based solely on costs is broken – primarily aiming at financial savings – or only on clinical aspects – making the sustainability of healthcare systems unfeasible.

The economy as a guide for decisions

Economic studies are of great importance for healthcare management. The data resulting from these areas of study provide indicators on the efficiency and costs of healthcare technologies, in addition to exploring financing alternatives and subsidies for market access.

Find out more details about our solutions and technical-scientific studies for the development and incorporation of technologies with better cost-effectiveness in public and private health systems. Download our MAPES Cases&Solutions content now..

[:en]

Health System Challenges

The increase of life expectancy rates and, as a result, having an elderly population with most of them having chronic/degenerative diseases has required an update in the health field with better diagnosis, prevention and diseases treatment.  Although, this field is always suffering with not having  enough resources. That’s why it is important that before making any decision there will be a detailed assessment of costs created and benefits to the patients and health system.

Health Economics

Apparently, this scenario brought together two very different fields:Health and economics, and with both together we have Health Economics, a subject which is already part of many courses related to the topic and to the health system in general.

While Health Economics is technically new in Brazil, it has shown itself essential to help the manager of the field to assess the best way to dispose the available resources, trying to make the clinical, the economical and the humanistic result better.

Many concepts and techniques of economics are already been used to solve problems that daily affect the health system. In a pragmatic way, to answer if a new medication or equipment should or shouldn’t be incorporated to health system, we need to know if its global cost is worth the gains it provides us.

Health Economics in the Health Technologies Assessment

As we can see, the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is the process of investigation of clinical, economical and social results of the use of technology in the health field, such as medicines, equipments, systems and procedures and through them the service of health is provided. Its goal is to analyze the clinical, social, ethical and economical implications of the development, the propagation and the use of technology in health.

Through the technical subsidies given from the Health Economics, the HTA makes viable the analysis of clinical aspects considered by economical aspects of a technology.

This way, the paradigm of making decisions in health based just in expenses is broken — having financial economy as the main goal — or just in clinical aspects — making impracticable the health system sustainability.

Economy as a decision guide

Economy studies have big importance to health management. The data resulted from these study fields give us information about the efficiency and the costs of health technologies, besides exploring financing ways and subsidies to access the market.[:]