OVERVIEW

The course aims to apply economic concepts to the analysis of health systems, a field in which decisions are particularly difficult from an economic perspective.

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

  - acquire proficiency in economic evaluation techniques and interpretative tools for socio-health interventions to make informed decisions balancing equity, effectiveness, and cost containment;

  - identify the factors influencing the dynamics of supply and demand for health services and the future challenges to ensure the economic sustainability of the system;

  - understand the principles of management and organization of socio-health services, with particular reference to the payment schemes applicable to hospital and emergency services activities, identifying the critical issues and advantages of the different alternatives

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide the ability to use models and tools typical of economic analysis (information asymmetries, market failures, regulatory policies, impact assessments) to evaluate the efficiency, equity, performance of the different levels of government (national, regional, corporate) in the main health systems with particular reference to current challenges: accelerated technological innovation, aging and new needs, financial sustainability.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to apply economic concepts to the analysis of health systems, a field in which decisions are particularly difficult from an economic perspective.

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

• acquire proficiency in economic evaluation techniques and interpretative tools for socio-health interventions to make informed decisions balancing equity, effectiveness, and cost containment;
• identify the factors influencing the dynamics of supply and demand for health services and the future challenges to ensure the economic sustainability of the system;

understand the principles of management and organization of socio-health services, with particular reference to the payment schemes applicable to hospital and emergency services activities, identifying the critical issues and advantages of the different alternatives

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures and exercises

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities  and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Serena Scotto (scotto@economia.unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

- Economic analysis of health systems

  - The role of health insurance: adverse selection and moral hazard

  - The Italian health system

  - Challenges of health systems: aging, chronic diseases, inequalities, National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), digitalization, AI and telemedicine, sustainability, innovation, equity, and high-cost drugs

  - Standard costs, tariffs, and payment systems for providers

  - Economic evaluation and Health Technology Assessment (HTA)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Notes and papers made available through Aulaweb

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARCELLO MONTEFIORI (President)

BARBARA CAVALLETTI

LUCIA LEPORATTI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

February 2025

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Mid-term assessments of acquired skills and/or final written exam

and/or

Final written/oral exam to evaluate the understanding of concepts taught during the course and the ability to apply the knowledge in practical situations by correctly interpreting numerical and graphical examples

Attendance to the course is not required and there is no difference between attending and nonattending students.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The mid term assessments will check and assess  students' knowledge of main topics and tecnicalities.  Multiple choice questions  will check  technicalities and specific contents. Open questions will check students' critical skills and  their ability to elaborate  logically the topics taught in the course

Exam schedule