Health Economics

Health economics looks at the costs and effectiveness of different types of health care programmes, considering the full cost to the health system, in order to inform decision making.

Key project: Costs of Breast Cancer in New Zealand

Dr Chunhuan Lao has been working with hospital clinicians to quantify the cost of breast cancer in New Zealand, examining the national and individual costs of breast cancer over time, comparing the costs by age, ethnicity, stage, and mode of detection.

The results of this project will inform healthcare planning such as decisions to introduce new treatment regimens for breast cancer. It will also guide healthcare planners for better resource allocation to reduce inequities in breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and health outcomes.

Project partners

The project was funded by the Health Research Council. Breast Cancer Foundation. Other projects include the costs for patients living with arthritis, the costs of orthopaedic hip and knee replacements, and the cost effectiveness of day surgery for Ear Nose and Throat treatments.

Recent publications