Using Discrete Choice Experiments in Health Economics: Theoretical and Practical Issues 2019
 
Background

Finite public resources coupled with an increasing demand for health care means that decisions must be made about how to most efficiently allocate the scarce health care budget. This requires information about costs and benefits of health care. Health economists have developed techniques that can provide values for health care benefits. A technique that is increasingly used for this purpose is the discrete choice experiment (DCE) method.

DCEs are now widely applied to value health and health care. Furthermore, DCEs are a potential method to recognise the importance of patient centred care, and to value patient experiences in the delivery of health care. DCEs are also applied more widely to consider population and health care professionals’ preferences in many areas of health policy.

Aims of the Short Course

  1. Introduction to the theoretical basis for, and development and application of discrete choice experiments (DCEs) in health economics.
  2. Hands on experience of the design of DCEs, questionnaire development, data input, analysis and interpretation.
  3. An update on methodological issues raised in the application of DCEs.

Who Should Attend

This short course is aimed at those interested in the application of DCEs in health economics and will focus on the practical and theoretical issues raised when applying the technique. The workshop will include group work sessions. No knowledge of economics or DCEs is assumed. Prior experience with regression analysis may be an advantage.

Each participant will receive a full documentation pack containing:

  • the teaching materials
  • group work and answers
  • copy of the book “Using discrete choice experiments to value health and health care” by M Ryan, K Gerard and M Amaya-Amaya
  • a bibliography of relevant resources

Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops with trial Software versions of NGene (www.choice-metrics.com) and STATA (www.stata.com) pre-installed.