Pharmacoeconomics
Foreword
As the famous epigram of Jan Kochanowski says, health is the superior good of every man and its protection should be a priority for every person responsible for it.
Healthcare spending is growing on a global scale which is the result of progress in medicine as well as of some other factors, such as demographic growth, the society`s aging or the emergence of new expectations from patients concerning the use of innovative methods in diagnostics and treatment.
Note that a healthcare system is a key instrument of the state`s health policy, while also being a sensitive and costly segment of its social area. The increase of expenditure on healthcare in every country is, however, limited with the volume of the budget and creates the need of rational management of medicines and medical products, hence such a large interest in pharmacoeconomics from all healthcare system stakeholders responsible for the state health policy.
To meet the demand for practical knowledge in conducting and interpreting pharmacoeconomic studies, the content of this publication will make the reader familiar with the methodology of pharmacoeconomic studies required for the proper economic assessment of healthcare programs which is so important in order to choose the best health technologies.
The book also discusses the role of the Agency for Health Technology Assessment as the structure appointed to objectify the evidence-based health technology assessment, in particular from the perspective of cost reimbursement by the public payer.
The issues discussed herein will also allow the understanding of the issues related to the choice of correct sources of information which is important in making decisions on healthcare strategies (analysis and assessment of clinical, economic, individual and social effects of medical interventions) for an individual patient, a population of patients or the general public.
The book also discusses the principles of evidence-based medicine as per quality of medical care provided to the patient and the quality of life assessment issues.
We hope that the content of this book will meet the interests of a broad group of readers.
Elżbieta Nowakowska