At the heart of health economics is an ambition to advance towards better, fairer, healthier societies through research that informs evidence-based health policy.
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September 2024
Guest editor: Mireia Jofre-Bonet | Chief Research Officer
At the heart of health economics is an ambition to advance towards better, fairer, healthier societies through research that informs evidence-based health policy.
However, determining how and where to allocate resources is often complex. In the UK, experts expect the upcoming Autumn Budget to prioritise the NHS, especially as winter illnesses cause waiting lists to swell. Last month’s independent review highlighted a significant productivity gap: while the hospital workforce grew by 17% between 2019 and 2023, acute output did not increase proportionately.
A more productive NHS should necessarily mean a healthier society but part of the problem is how we measure productivity in the health service, writes OHE’s Chief Executive Professor Graham Cookson in the Health Service Journal. Unfortunately, the current definitions of productivity and efficiency in the NHS do not focus on actual health outcomes – which is what we as patients and payers want from a health service.
What we value as a society should inform what we invest in. When properly applied, investment can have a transformative impact on pharmaceutical innovation and real health outcomes. We recently concluded a study that highlights how continued investment in haemophilia research and development has led to iterative and incremental innovation, adding significant value for patients and health systems. Thanks to these developments, people with haemophilia – mainly in high-income countries - today have life expectancies comparable to the general population, in contrast to the 30 years they had in the 1960s.
Advances in medicine and science have meant that all of us can now expect to live for longer. Globally, life expectancy exceeds 70 years – however, for many of us, these later years are still spent in ill health. This year’s OHE Annual Lecture was delivered by Professor Andrew Scott, who made the case for investing in an evergreen society to benefit from a three-dimensional longevity dividend: where we live healthier, more productive, and more engaged lives for longer. There are real macroeconomic benefits to doing so, Professor Scott reminded us: living more years in good health benefits not just us, but society as a whole.
New Publication
A Spotlight on Haemophilia Therapies
Pharmaceutical innovation has been transformative for haemophilia, offering patients new treatment optiosn that improve their quality of life and health outcomes.
Despite these advances, unmet needs remain, with many patients still experiencing joint pain, mental health challenges, and reduced life quality.
How can continued investment in research and development address these gaps and improve care for people living with haemophilia?
The Preventive Health Revolution: Live Longer, Live Better
Professor Andrew Scott discussed the socio-economic impact of living longer and the need for healthcare systems to focus on health span rather than just lifespan at OHE's Annual Lecture.
He talked about the importance of preventive measures to ensure that longer lives are also healthier, highlighting the economic benefits of investing in healthy aging.
How can we shift our approach to make sure health systems prioritise prevention and resilience, and we live not just longer, but better lives?
Innovations in Preventive Health, the Role of the Workplace, and the Economic Growth Potential
11:30 CET, 16 October, Bayer Campus Berlin
The panel on 'Innovations in Preventive Health, the Role of the Workplace, and the Economic Growth Potential' will highlight the role of workplace health initiatives and preventive strategies.
Lotte Steuten, Deputy Chief Executive of OHE, will join expert panellists to discuss how prioritising health maintenance and disease prevention can reduce the economic burden on healthcare systems while improving the quality of life for aging populations.
