Value for money in healthcare – Health Foundation supported research programme at Imperial College

Overview

The Health Foundation is providing support for a three year programme of research into value for money at Imperial College. The research team will explore how healthcare resources are being spent in the UK and whether this provides value.

What we’re doing

The research will analyse new and existing datasets to explore how both major gains in outcome and cost-effectiveness can be made.      

• Exploring cancer care pathways: This research examines the economics of cancer care and, data permitting, will examine a small number of the major cancers, and model the pathways taken, and the costs and outcomes of different pathways. Imperial College will be working with the National Cancer Intelligence Network on this research. 

In 2012 the focus will be on: 

• The link between hospital quality and future costs: This work aims to inform the debate as to whether improved hospital quality reduces future healthcare costs. Initially, it will use advanced econometric techniques to examine whether a hospitals’ success in reducing mortality influences its future readmission rates, after adjusting for the ‘selection’ problem. Then, the second stage of this research will use similar techniques to investigate the link between readmissions and costs.       
• Exploring cancer care pathways: This research examines the economics of cancer care and, data permitting, will examine a small number of the major cancers, and model the pathways taken, and the costs and outcomes of different pathways. Imperial College will be working with the National Cancer Intelligence Network on this research. 

A range of publications will be generated from the various work streams and will include articles in high quality peer reviewed journals, as well as reports published by the Health Foundation.

When will the findings be available?

This ongoing work will report throughout 2012.

For further information please contact:

Darshan Patel, Research and Development Manager