HSH717 - Health Economics 1
Unit details
Year | 2025 unit information |
---|---|
Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Online Trimester 3: Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
Credit point(s): | 1 |
EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Lisa Gold Trimester 3: Anthony Niu |
Prerequisite: | Nil |
Corequisite: | Nil |
Incompatible with: | Nil |
Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | Combination of independent and interactive scheduled on-campus activities equivalent to two hours per week, including 10-11 scheduled seminars. |
Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | Combination of independent and interactive scheduled online activities equivalent to two hours per week, including 10-11 scheduled seminars. |
Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Content
The unit introduces students to the discipline of health economics and assumes no prior knowledge. The unit will cover the following topics, with a particular focus on current policy developments.
- Dimensions of Health Economics: The scope of health economics; why is health economics relevant; objectives in health care; choice in health care; basic concepts and definitions.
- Microeconomic Tools for Health Economics Part 1 - The Competitive Market: concepts behind the demand curve; concepts behind the supply curve; markets and efficiency; conditions for competitive markets.
- Microeconomic Tools for Health Economics Part 2 - Market Failure: the role of government and preventing government failure; common market failures in health care; health care insurance markets.
- The Australian Health Care System from an Economic Perspective: Structure and funding; role of providers, consumers and funders; viewpoints on the Australian health care system; international comparisons.
Learning Outcomes
ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
---|---|---|
ULO1 | Define and explain basic economic concepts, especially efficiency, opportunity cost, utility and marginal costs and benefits | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
ULO2 | Compare and contrast health care markets and markets for other goods and services | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
ULO3 | Explain the unique characteristics of healthcare which make the application of standard economic theory challenging | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
ULO4 | Analyse the implications of different approaches to paying for (funding) and providing health services. | GLO4: Critical thinking |
ULO5 | Discuss the role of government in healthcare from an economic perspective | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
ULO6 | Evaluate important healthcare challenges and debates from an economic perspective | GLO2: Communication |
Assessment
Assessment description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
---|---|---|---|
Assessment 1: In-trimester exercises (including seminar participation) | Weekly exercises | 30% |
|
Assessment 2: Essay | 2000 words | 40% |
|
Assessment 3: End-of-Unit Assessment | 90 minutes | 30% |
|
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for HSH717 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.