• Meaning of health economics
• Health and the European health policy agenda
• Health systems
• Health and healthcare
• The theory of productivity – productivity and costs of medical care
• Cost-benefit analysis
• The state as a health insurance institution
• Industry medical services and hospital services
• Quality of Life and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as a health measurement index, cost- effectiveness analysis, quality-adjusted life years
• Methods of socio-economic evaluation
• Healthcare staff in Greece

The aim of the course is to analyse and explain key concepts and issues related to the field of health economics. The course describes and examines: basic economic tools and institutions of health care, the role of the state, industrial studies, the meaning and subject of health economics, indicators for measuring the performance of the health sector, the particular characteristics of the health services market, with particular emphasis on evolving demand, the theory of health service production, productivity and cost effectiveness, economies of scale and long-term average costs of financing health services, the characteristics of health systems, health care in Greece, hospitals as production units, health-related quality of life and economic evaluation.

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

• understand definitions and basic concepts related to the field of health economics;
• recognize and analyse the specific characteristics of the health services market;
• understand the theory of production and the economic efficiency of health services;
• analyse the performance measurement indicators of hospitals;
• analyse and compare the characteristics of health systems;
• understand the methods of socio-economic evaluation in order to make decisions using specific tools; and
• cooperate with their fellow students to produce and present a case study on the assessment of the productivity and efficiency of a Greek public hospital.