Use of economic evaluation guidelines: 2 years' experience in Canada.

PubMed

Baladi, J F; Menon, D; Otten, N

1998-05-01

Considerable effort has been expended in recent years in the development of methodology guidelines for economic evaluation of pharmaceutical products, driven in part by the desire to improve the rigour and quality of economic evaluations and to help decision making. Canada was one of the first countries to develop such guidelines and to encourage their use. This paper examines the extent to which the economic evaluations that were submitted to the Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment in the last two years adhered to Canadian guidelines. The analytic technique employed by twelve studies as well as the comparator used, the perspective taken, the outcome measure selected, the cost items that were taken into consideration and the extent of sensitivity analyses that were performed are reviewed in this paper. It can be concluded that although studies have been of variable quality, the majority of them were well presented, complete and transparent, due in part to the guidelines. Except for the perspective of the analysis, guidelines were, in many respects, adhered to and did not restrict investigators to specific methodologies or specific techniques. They were also instrumental in ensuring a minimum set of standards.

Evaluating the relative impacts of operational and financial factors on the competitiveness of an algal biofuel production facility.

PubMed

Hise, Adam M; Characklis, Gregory W; Kern, Jordan; Gerlach, Robin; Viamajala, Sridhar; Gardner, Robert D; Vadlamani, Agasteswar

2016-11-01

Algal biofuels are becoming more economically competitive due to technological advances and government subsidies offering tax benefits and lower cost financing. These factors are linked, however, as the value of technical advances is affected by modeling assumptions regarding the growth conditions, process design, and financing of the production facility into which novel techniques are incorporated. Two such techniques, related to algal growth and dewatering, are evaluated in representative operating and financing scenarios using an integrated techno-economic model. Results suggest that these techniques can be valuable under specified conditions, but also that investment subsidies influence cost competitive facility design by incentivizing development of more capital intensive facilities (e.g., favoring hydrothermal liquefaction over transesterification-based facilities). Evaluating novel techniques under a variety of operational and financial scenarios highlights the set of site-specific conditions in which technical advances are most valuable, while also demonstrating the influence of subsidies linked to capital intensity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Modified Approach to the Introductory Economics Course in a School of Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crockett, G. V.

1977-01-01

Describes course format, materials development, and evaluation of an introductory economics course which stressed problem solving techniques and conceptual skills instead of rote memorization of factual content. For journal availability, see SO 506 029. (AV)

Belgian guidelines for economic evaluations: second edition.

PubMed

Thiry, Nancy; Neyt, Mattias; Van De Sande, Stefaan; Cleemput, Irina

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to present the updated methodological guidelines for economic evaluations of healthcare interventions (drugs, medical devices, and other interventions) in Belgium. The update of the guidelines was performed by three Belgian health economists following feedback from users of the former guidelines and personal experience. The updated guidelines were discussed with a multidisciplinary team consisting of other health economists, assessors of reimbursement request files, representatives of Belgian databases and representatives of the drugs and medical devices industry. The final document was validated by three external validators that were not involved in the previous discussions. The guidelines give methodological guidance for the following components of an economic evaluation: literature review, perspective of the evaluation, definition of the target population, choice of the comparator, analytic technique and study design, calculation of costs, valuation of outcomes, definition of the time horizon, modeling, handling uncertainty and discounting. We present a reference case that can be considered as the minimal requirement for Belgian economic evaluations of health interventions. These guidelines will improve the methodological quality, transparency and uniformity of the economic evaluations performed in Belgium. The guidelines will also provide support to the researchers and assessors performing or evaluating economic evaluations.

Cost-effectiveness of manual therapy for the management of musculoskeletal conditions: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of evidence from randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Tsertsvadze, Alexander; Clar, Christine; Court, Rachel; Clarke, Aileen; Mistry, Hema; Sutcliffe, Paul

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to systematically review trial-based economic evaluations of manual therapy relative to other alternative interventions used for the management of musculoskeletal conditions. A comprehensive literature search was undertaken in major medical, health-related, science and health economic electronic databases. Twenty-five publications were included (11 trial-based economic evaluations). The studies compared cost-effectiveness and/or cost-utility of manual therapy interventions to other treatment alternatives in reducing pain (spinal, shoulder, ankle). Manual therapy techniques (e.g., osteopathic spinal manipulation, physiotherapy manipulation and mobilization techniques, and chiropractic manipulation with or without other treatments) were more cost-effective than usual general practitioner (GP) care alone or with exercise, spinal stabilization, GP advice, advice to remain active, or brief pain management for improving low back and shoulder pain/disability. Chiropractic manipulation was found to be less costly and more effective than alternative treatment compared with either physiotherapy or GP care in improving neck pain. Preliminary evidence from this review shows some economic advantage of manual therapy relative to other interventions used for the management of musculoskeletal conditions, indicating that some manual therapy techniques may be more cost-effective than usual GP care, spinal stabilization, GP advice, advice to remain active, or brief pain management for improving low back and shoulder pain/disability. However, at present, there is a paucity of evidence on the cost-effectiveness and/or cost-utility evaluations for manual therapy interventions. Further improvements in the methodological conduct and reporting quality of economic evaluations of manual therapy are warranted in order to facilitate adequate evidence-based decisions among policy makers, health care practitioners, and patients. Copyright © 2014 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of economic techniques to fire management - A status review and evaluation

Treesearch

Julie K. Gorte; Ross W. Gorte

1979-01-01

Discusses both the historic and contemporary influences of economic in formulating USDA, Forest Service fire management policy in allocating money for fire management and in appraising fire effects. Includes a partial listing of publications that deal with resource valuation.

Wind turbine siting: A summary of the state of the art

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hiester, T. R.

1982-01-01

The process of siting large wind turbines may be divided into two broad steps: site selection, and site evaluation. Site selection is the process of locating windy sites where wind energy development shows promise of economic viability. Site evaluation is the process of determining in detail for a given site the economic potential of the site. The state of the art in the first aspect of siting, site selection is emphasized. Several techniques for assessing the wind resource were explored or developed in the Federal Wind Energy Program. Local topography and meteorology will determine which of the techniques should be used in locating potential sites. None of the techniques can do the job alone, none are foolproof, and all require considerable knowledge and experience to apply correctly. Therefore, efficient siting requires a strategy which is founded on broad based application of several techniques without relying solely on one narrow field of expertise.

Advantages of the net benefit regression framework for economic evaluations of interventions in the workplace: a case study of the cost-effectiveness of a collaborative mental health care program for people receiving short-term disability benefits for psychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Hoch, Jeffrey S; Dewa, Carolyn S

2014-04-01

Economic evaluations commonly accompany trials of new treatments or interventions; however, regression methods and their corresponding advantages for the analysis of cost-effectiveness data are not well known. To illustrate regression-based economic evaluation, we present a case study investigating the cost-effectiveness of a collaborative mental health care program for people receiving short-term disability benefits for psychiatric disorders. We implement net benefit regression to illustrate its strengths and limitations. Net benefit regression offers a simple option for cost-effectiveness analyses of person-level data. By placing economic evaluation in a regression framework, regression-based techniques can facilitate the analysis and provide simple solutions to commonly encountered challenges. Economic evaluations of person-level data (eg, from a clinical trial) should use net benefit regression to facilitate analysis and enhance results.

Discrete event simulation: the preferred technique for health economic evaluations?

PubMed

Caro, Jaime J; Möller, Jörgen; Getsios, Denis

2010-12-01

To argue that discrete event simulation should be preferred to cohort Markov models for economic evaluations in health care. The basis for the modeling techniques is reviewed. For many health-care decisions, existing data are insufficient to fully inform them, necessitating the use of modeling to estimate the consequences that are relevant to decision-makers. These models must reflect what is known about the problem at a level of detail sufficient to inform the questions. Oversimplification will result in estimates that are not only inaccurate, but potentially misleading. Markov cohort models, though currently popular, have so many limitations and inherent assumptions that they are inadequate to inform most health-care decisions. An event-based individual simulation offers an alternative much better suited to the problem. A properly designed discrete event simulation provides more accurate, relevant estimates without being computationally prohibitive. It does require more data and may be a challenge to convey transparently, but these are necessary trade-offs to provide meaningful and valid results. In our opinion, discrete event simulation should be the preferred technique for health economic evaluations today. © 2010, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).

Demonstration of a Probabilistic Technique for the Determination of Economic Viability of Very Large Transport Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mavris, Dimitri N.

1998-01-01

Over the past few years, modem aircraft design has experienced a paradigm shift from designing for performance to designing for affordability. This report contains a probabilistic approach that will allow traditional deterministic design methods to be extended to account for disciplinary, economic, and technological uncertainty. The probabilistic approach was facilitated by the Fast Probability Integration (FPI) technique; a technique which allows the designer to gather valuable information about the vehicle's behavior in the design space. This technique is efficient for assessing multi-attribute, multi-constraint problems in a more realistic fashion. For implementation purposes, this technique is applied to illustrate how both economic and technological uncertainty associated with a Very Large Transport aircraft concept may be assessed. The assessment is evaluated with the FPI technique to determine the cumulative probability distributions of the design space, as bound by economic objectives and performance constraints. These distributions were compared to established targets for a comparable large capacity aircraft, similar in size to the Boeing 747-400. The conventional baseline configuration design space was determined to be unfeasible and marginally viable, motivating the infusion of advanced technologies, including reductions in drag, specific fuel consumption, wing weight, and Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation costs. The resulting system design space was qualitatively assessed with technology metric "k" factors. The infusion of technologies shifted the VLT design into regions of feasibility and greater viability. The study also demonstrated a method and relationship by which the impact of new technologies may be assessed in a more system focused approach.

Candidate substances for space bioprocessing methodology and data specification for benefit evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Analytical and quantitative economic techniques are applied to the evaluation of the economic benefits of a wide range of substances for space bioprocessing. On the basis of expected clinical applications, as well as the size of the patient that could be affected by the clinical applications, eight substances are recommended for further benefit evaluation. Results show that a transitional probability methodology can be used to model at least one clinical application for each of these substances. In each recommended case, the disease and its therapy are sufficiently well understood and documented, and the statistical data is available to operate the model and produce estimates of the impact of new therapy systems on the cost of treatment, morbidity, and mortality. Utilizing the morbidity and mortality information produced by the model, a standard economic technique called the Value of Human Capital is used to estimate the social welfare benefits that could be attributable to the new therapy systems.

Best available techniques (BATs) for oil spill response in the Mediterranean Sea: calm sea and presence of economic activities.

PubMed

Guidi, Giambattista; Sliskovic, Merica; Violante, Anna Carmela; Vukic, Luka

2016-01-01

An oil spill is the accidental or intentional discharge of petroleum products into the environment due to human activities. Although oil spills are actually just a little percent of the total world oil pollution problem, they represent the most visible form of it. The impact on the ecosystems can be severe as well as the impact on economic activities. Oil spill cleanup is a very difficult and expensive activity, and many techniques are available for it. In previous works, a methodology based on different kinds of criteria in order to come to the most satisfactory technique was proposed and the relative importance of each impact criterion on the basis of the Saaty's Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was also evaluated. After a review of the best available techniques (BATs) available for oil spill response, this work suggests criteria for BATs' selection when oil spills occur in the Mediterranean Sea under well-defined circumstances: calm sea and presence of economic activities in the affected area. A group of experts with different specializations evaluated the alternative BATs by means of AHP method taking into account their respective advantages and disadvantages.

[Controversial issues in economic evaluation (I): perspective and costs of Health Care interventions].

PubMed

Oliva, Juan; Brosa, Max; Espín, Jaime; Figueras, Montserrat; Trapero, Marta

2015-01-01

Economic evaluation of health care interventions has experienced a strong growth over the past decade and is increasingly present as a support tool in the decisions making process on public funding of health services and pricing in European countries. A necessary element using them is that agents that perform economic evaluations have minimum rules with agreement on methodological aspects. Although there are methodological issues in which there is a high degree of consensus, there are others in which there is no such degree of agreement being closest to the normative field or have experienced significant methodological advances in recent years. In this first article of a series of three, we will discuss on the perspective of analysis and assessment of costs in economic evaluation of health interventions using the technique Metaplan. Finally, research lines are proposed to overcome the identified discrepancies.

Designing and Undertaking a Health Economics Study of Digital Health Interventions.

PubMed

McNamee, Paul; Murray, Elizabeth; Kelly, Michael P; Bojke, Laura; Chilcott, Jim; Fischer, Alastair; West, Robert; Yardley, Lucy

2016-11-01

This paper introduces and discusses key issues in the economic evaluation of digital health interventions. The purpose is to stimulate debate so that existing economic techniques may be refined or new methods developed. The paper does not seek to provide definitive guidance on appropriate methods of economic analysis for digital health interventions. This paper describes existing guides and analytic frameworks that have been suggested for the economic evaluation of healthcare interventions. Using selected examples of digital health interventions, it assesses how well existing guides and frameworks align to digital health interventions. It shows that digital health interventions may be best characterized as complex interventions in complex systems. Key features of complexity relate to intervention complexity, outcome complexity, and causal pathway complexity, with much of this driven by iterative intervention development over time and uncertainty regarding likely reach of the interventions among the relevant population. These characteristics imply that more-complex methods of economic evaluation are likely to be better able to capture fully the impact of the intervention on costs and benefits over the appropriate time horizon. This complexity includes wider measurement of costs and benefits, and a modeling framework that is able to capture dynamic interactions among the intervention, the population of interest, and the environment. The authors recommend that future research should develop and apply more-flexible modeling techniques to allow better prediction of the interdependency between interventions and important environmental influences. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost-of-illness studies: concepts, scopes, and methods

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Liver diseases are one of the main causes of death, and their ever-increasing prevalence is threatening to cause significant damage both to individuals and society as a whole. This damage is especially serious for the economically active population in Korea. From the societal perspective, it is therefore necessary to consider the economic impacts associated with liver diseases, and identify interventions that can reduce the burden of these diseases. The cost-of-illness study is considered to be an essential evaluation technique in health care. By measuring and comparing the economic burdens of diseases to society, such studies can help health-care decision-makers to set up and prioritize health-care policies and interventions. Using economic theories, this paper introduces various study methods that are generally applicable to most disease cases for estimating the costs of illness associated with mortality, morbidity, disability, and other disease characteristics. It also presents concepts and scopes of costs along with different cost categories from different research perspectives in cost estimations. By discussing the epidemiological and economic grounds of the cost-of-illness study, the reported results represent useful information about several evaluation techniques at an advanced level, such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-utility analysis. PMID:25548737

Cost-of-illness studies: concepts, scopes, and methods.

PubMed

Jo, Changik

2014-12-01

Liver diseases are one of the main causes of death, and their ever-increasing prevalence is threatening to cause significant damage both to individuals and society as a whole. This damage is especially serious for the economically active population in Korea. From the societal perspective, it is therefore necessary to consider the economic impacts associated with liver diseases, and identify interventions that can reduce the burden of these diseases. The cost-of-illness study is considered to be an essential evaluation technique in health care. By measuring and comparing the economic burdens of diseases to society, such studies can help health-care decision-makers to set up and prioritize health-care policies and interventions. Using economic theories, this paper introduces various study methods that are generally applicable to most disease cases for estimating the costs of illness associated with mortality, morbidity, disability, and other disease characteristics. It also presents concepts and scopes of costs along with different cost categories from different research perspectives in cost estimations. By discussing the epidemiological and economic grounds of the cost-of-illness study, the reported results represent useful information about several evaluation techniques at an advanced level, such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-utility analysis.

[Health economics and antibiotic therapy].

PubMed

Leclercq, P; Bigdéli, M

1995-01-01

In the field of antibiotic therapy, particularly the methods of economic evaluation hold one's attention within the wide range of health economics' applications. Several tools allow a comparison of the outcomes of alternative strategies and thereby guide choices to the most appropriate solutions. After a brief recall of the methods classically used to evaluate health care strategy, the authors stress the importance and difficulty of fixing and applying a correct and satisfactory procedure for evaluation. An evaluation example of antibiotic therapy allows to illustrate the application of the principles confronting a field in which competition is intense and economic stakes stay large--a fact which naturally yields to seek after objective decision making criteria. The health care policies drawn by public authorities as well as the marketing strategies of the health sector trade are partly based on such evaluations. If these techniques are not intended for the practitioner in the first place, they should not be indifferent to him since they influence health authorities and thereby indirectly affect the therapeutic freedom of the physician.

Importance of Economic Evaluation in Health Care: An Indian Perspective.

PubMed

Dang, Amit; Likhar, Nishkarsh; Alok, Utkarsh

2016-05-01

Health economic studies provide information to decision makers for efficient use of available resources for maximizing health benefits. Economic evaluation is one part of health economics, and it is a tool for comparing costs and consequences of different interventions. Health technology assessment is a technique for economic evaluation that is well adapted by developed countries. The traditional classification of economic evaluation includes cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. There has been uncertainty in the conduct of such economic evaluations in India, due to some hesitancy with respect to the adoption of their guidelines. The biggest challenge in this evolutionary method is lack of understanding of methods in current use by all those involved in the provision and purchasing of health care. In some countries, different methods of economic evaluation have been adopted for decision making, most commonly to address the question of public subsidies for the purchase of medicines. There is limited evidence on the impact of health insurance on the health and economic well-being of beneficiaries in developing countries. India is currently pursuing several strategies to improve health services for its population, including investing in government-provided services as well as purchasing services from public and private providers through various schemes. Prospects for future growth and development in this field are required in India because rapid health care inflation, increasing rates of chronic conditions, aging population, and increasing technology diffusion will require greater economic efficiency into health care systems. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Methodological Quality of Economic Evaluations in Belgian Drug Reimbursement Applications

PubMed Central

Simoens, Steven

2013-01-01

Objectives This paper aims to assess the methodological quality of economic evaluations included in Belgian reimbursement applications for Class 1 drugs. Materials and Methods For 19 reimbursement applications submitted during 2011 and Spring 2012, a descriptive analysis assessed the methodological quality of the economic evaluation, evaluated the assessment of that economic evaluation by the Drug Reimbursement Committee and the response to that assessment by the company. Compliance with methodological guidelines issued by the Belgian Healthcare Knowledge Centre was assessed using a detailed checklist of 23 methodological items. The rate of compliance was calculated based on the number of economic evaluations for which the item was applicable. Results Economic evaluations tended to comply with guidelines regarding perspective, target population, subgroup analyses, comparator, use of comparative clinical data and final outcome measures, calculation of costs, incremental analysis, discounting and time horizon. However, more attention needs to be paid to the description of limitations of indirect comparisons, the choice of an appropriate analytic technique, the expression of unit costs in values for the current year, the estimation and valuation of outcomes, the presentation of results of sensitivity analyses, and testing the face validity of model inputs and outputs. Also, a large variation was observed in the scope and depth of the quality assessment by the Drug Reimbursement Committee. Conclusions Although general guidelines exist, pharmaceutical companies and the Drug Reimbursement Committee would benefit from the existence of a more detailed checklist of methodological items that need to be reported in an economic evaluation. PMID:24386474

Assessment of methodological quality of economic evaluations in belgian drug reimbursement applications.

PubMed

Simoens, Steven

2013-01-01

This paper aims to assess the methodological quality of economic evaluations included in Belgian reimbursement applications for Class 1 drugs. For 19 reimbursement applications submitted during 2011 and Spring 2012, a descriptive analysis assessed the methodological quality of the economic evaluation, evaluated the assessment of that economic evaluation by the Drug Reimbursement Committee and the response to that assessment by the company. Compliance with methodological guidelines issued by the Belgian Healthcare Knowledge Centre was assessed using a detailed checklist of 23 methodological items. The rate of compliance was calculated based on the number of economic evaluations for which the item was applicable. Economic evaluations tended to comply with guidelines regarding perspective, target population, subgroup analyses, comparator, use of comparative clinical data and final outcome measures, calculation of costs, incremental analysis, discounting and time horizon. However, more attention needs to be paid to the description of limitations of indirect comparisons, the choice of an appropriate analytic technique, the expression of unit costs in values for the current year, the estimation and valuation of outcomes, the presentation of results of sensitivity analyses, and testing the face validity of model inputs and outputs. Also, a large variation was observed in the scope and depth of the quality assessment by the Drug Reimbursement Committee. Although general guidelines exist, pharmaceutical companies and the Drug Reimbursement Committee would benefit from the existence of a more detailed checklist of methodological items that need to be reported in an economic evaluation.

Use of pharmacoeconomics in prescribing research. Part 1: costs--moving beyond the acquisition price for drugs.

PubMed

Robertson, J; Lang, D; Hill, S

2003-02-01

This paper addresses pharmacoeconomics in prescribing research and reflects the increasing use of techniques of economic evaluation to aid drug purchasing decisions in a variety of settings -- for national drug subsidization programmes, provincial purchasing plans, insurance programmes, and for hospital and area health authority formulary decisions. First, we focus on the cost component of an economic evaluation and discuss methodological issues that are relevant to all pharmacoeconomic analyses.

Efficient SNP Discovery by Combining Microarray and Lab-on-a-Chip Data for Animal Breeding and Selection

PubMed Central

Huang, Chao-Wei; Lin, Yu-Tsung; Ding, Shih-Torng; Lo, Ling-Ling; Wang, Pei-Hwa; Lin, En-Chung; Liu, Fang-Wei; Lu, Yen-Wen

2015-01-01

The genetic markers associated with economic traits have been widely explored for animal breeding. Among these markers, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) are gradually becoming a prevalent and effective evaluation tool. Since SNPs only focus on the genetic sequences of interest, it thereby reduces the evaluation time and cost. Compared to traditional approaches, SNP genotyping techniques incorporate informative genetic background, improve the breeding prediction accuracy and acquiesce breeding quality on the farm. This article therefore reviews the typical procedures of animal breeding using SNPs and the current status of related techniques. The associated SNP information and genotyping techniques, including microarray and Lab-on-a-Chip based platforms, along with their potential are highlighted. Examples in pig and poultry with different SNP loci linked to high economic trait values are given. The recommendations for utilizing SNP genotyping in nimal breeding are summarized. PMID:27600241

Economic evaluation of integrated new technologies for health and social care: Suggestions for policy makers, users and evaluators.

PubMed

Wildman, John; McMeekin, Peter; Grieve, Eleanor; Briggs, Andrew

2016-11-01

With an ageing population there is a move towards the use of assisted living technologies (ALTs) to provide social care and health care services, and to improve service processes. These technologies are at the forefront of the integration of health and social care. However, economic evaluations of ALTs, and indeed economic evaluations of any interventions providing both health benefits and benefits beyond health are complex. This paper considers the challenges faced by evaluators and presents a method of economic evaluation for use with interventions where traditional methods may not be suitable for informing funders and decision makers. We propose a method, combining economic evaluation techniques, that can accommodate health outcomes and outcomes beyond health through the use of a common numeraire. Such economic evaluations can benefit both the public and private sector, firstly by ensuring the efficient allocation of resources. And secondly, by providing information for individuals who, in the market for ALTs, face consumption decisions that are infrequent and for which there may be no other sources of information. We consider these issues in the welfarist, extra-welfarist and capabilities frameworks, which we link to attributes in an individual production model. This approach allows for the valuation of the health component of any such intervention and the valuation of key social care attributes and processes. Finally, we present a set of considerations for evaluators highlighting the key issues that need to be considered in this type of economic evaluation. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Characteristics Approach to the Evaluation of Economics Software Packages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lumsden, Keith; Scott, Alex

1988-01-01

Utilizes Bloom's Taxonomy to identify elements of teacher and student interest. Depicts the way in which these interests are developed into characteristics for use in analytically evaluating software. Illustrates the use of this evaluating technique by appraising the much used software package "Running the British Economy." (KO)

Evaluation of Subsurface Engineered Barriers at Waste Sites

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-08-01

28 3-4 MATRIX FOR EVALUATING BARRIER CQA/CQC AGAINST ACCEPTABLE INDSUTRY PRACTICES...STANDARDS................................................................. 66 4-2 MATRIX FOR EVALUATING CAP AGAINST ACCEPTABLE INDSUTRY PRACTICES...stated previously, the most widely used technique for containment is the soil-bentonite slurry wall. It is typically the most economical , utilizes low

Evaluation of the performance, cost-effectiveness, and timing of various preventive maintenances : interim report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-10-01

This research study evaluated the performance of various pavement preservation treatments over time and under different : environmental conditions to quantify the economics of each treatment type. There are three primary techniques utilized in Colora...

Air-launched GPR evaluation for rapid assessment of MoDOT bridge decks.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-01

The overarching goal of this study is to demonstrate that advanced nondestructive testing/evaluation (NDT/NDE) techniques can be rapidly, effectively, and economically implemented as part of routine MoDOT bridge deck surveys to determine the general ...

[The evaluation of costs: standards of medical care and clinical statistic groups].

PubMed

Semenov, V Iu; Samorodskaia, I V

2014-01-01

The article presents the comparative analysis of techniques of evaluation of costs of hospital treatment using medical economic standards of medical care and clinical statistical groups. The technique of evaluation of costs on the basis of clinical statistical groups was developed almost fifty years ago and is largely applied in a number of countries. Nowadays, in Russia the payment for completed case of treatment on the basis of medical economic standards is the main mode of payment for medical care in hospital. It is very conditionally a Russian analogue of world-wide prevalent system of diagnostic related groups. The tariffs for these cases of treatment as opposed to clinical statistical groups are counted on basis of standards of provision of medical care approved by Minzdrav of Russia. The information derived from generalization of cases of treatment of real patients is not applied.

RESTORATION PLUS: A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS TO ACHIEVE ECOLOGICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

EPA is evaluating ecosystem restoration and management techniques to ensure they create sustainable solutions for degraded watersheds. ORD NRMRL initiated the Restoration Plus (RePlus) program in 2002 to a) evaluate ecosystem restoration and management options, b) assess the non-...

Economic evidence in intellectual disabilities: a review.

PubMed

Romeo, Renée; Molosankwe, Iris

2010-09-01

There has been a drive to meet the needs of people with intellectual disabilities in an environment of resource scarcity. It is also recognized that intervention has the potential to improve social and economic welfare. Economic analyses can be used to inform decision makers about what additional investment is needed (if any) and the impacts on a range of stakeholders of intervention. There is a paucity of economic studies in intellectual disability. The lack of economic studies is a barrier to making policy and practice decisions for people with intellectual disabilities. In the period of review, 10 economic studies were found. Information on resource and cost implications of various treatments and support for people with intellectual disabilities is needed. Economic evaluation techniques can be used to inform decision making. We conducted a systematic review of the literature from January 2006 to February 2010. There was a paucity of economic studies in the field. Analyses assessing a wide range of outcomes alongside costs were the most widely used evaluation method in the review. There is a need for more economic studies in this area.

Transportation Systems Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fanning, M. L.; Michelson, R. A.

1972-01-01

A methodology for the analysis of transportation systems consisting of five major interacting elements is reported. The analysis begins with the causes of travel demand: geographic, economic, and demographic characteristics as well as attitudes toward travel. Through the analysis, the interaction of these factors with the physical and economic characteristics of the transportation system is determined. The result is an evaluation of the system from the point of view of both passenger and operator. The methodology is applicable to the intraurban transit systems as well as major airlines. Applications of the technique to analysis of a PRT system and a study of intraurban air travel are given. In the discussion several unique models or techniques are mentioned: i.e., passenger preference modeling, an integrated intraurban transit model, and a series of models to perform airline analysis.

Science You Can Use Bulletin: Wildfire triage: Targeting mitigation based on social, economic, and ecological values

Treesearch

Karl Malcolm; Matthew Thompson; Dave Calkin; Mark Finney; Alan Ager

2012-01-01

Evaluating the risks of wildfire relative to the valuable resources found in any managed landscape requires an interdisciplinary approach. Researchers at the Rocky Mountain Research Station and Western Wildland Threat Assessment Center developed such a process, using a combination of techniques rooted in fire modeling and ecology, economics, decision sciences, and the...

Health promotion community development and the tyranny of individualism.

PubMed

Shiell, A; Hawe, P

1996-01-01

Economic evaluation of health promotion poses few major difficulties when the theoretical approach of the programme and the evaluation of cost and benefits are confined within the context of the individual. Methodological individualism has a long history in economics and the techniques of microeconomics are well suited to the examination of individually focused behaviour change programmes. However, new developments in community health promotion pose special challenges. These programmes have the community, not the individual, as the focus of programme theory and "community' means something completely different from the sum of individuals. Community empowerment and promotion of the community's capacity to deal with health issues are the goals of such programmes. To reflect these notions, sense of community and community competence should be considered as "functionings', an extra-welfarist constituent of well-being. Their inclusion as outcomes of community health promotion requires a shift from individualist utilitarian economics into a communitarian framework which respects the programme's notion of community. If health economics fails to develop new constructs to deal with these new approaches in health promotion, the application of existing techniques to community programmes will mislead health decision makers about their value and potential.

Economic evaluations and randomized trials in spinal disorders: principles and methods.

PubMed

Korthals-de Bos, Ingeborg; van Tulder, Maurits; van Dieten, Hiske; Bouter, Lex

2004-02-15

Descriptive methodologic recommendations. To help researchers designing, conducting, and reporting economic evaluations in the field of back and neck pain. Economic evaluations of both existing and new therapeutic interventions are becoming increasingly important. There is a need to improve the methods of economic evaluations in the field of spinal disorders. To improve the methods of economic evaluations in the field of spinal disorders, this article describes the various steps in an economic evaluation, using as example a study on the cost-effectiveness of manual therapy, physiotherapy, and usual care provided by the general practitioner for patients with neck pain. An economic evaluation is a study in which two or more interventions are systematically compared with regard to both costs and effects. There are four types of economic evaluations, based on analysis of: (1) cost-effectiveness, (2) cost-utility, (3) cost-minimization, and (4) cost-benefit. The cost-utility analysis is a special case of cost-effectiveness analysis. The first step in all these economic evaluations is to identify the perspective of the study. The choice of the perspective will have consequences for the identification of costs and effects. Secondly, the alternatives that will be compared should be identified. Thirdly, the relevant costs and effects should be identified. Economic evaluations are usually performed from a societal perspective and include consequently direct health care costs, direct nonhealth care costs, and indirect costs. Fourthly, effect data are collected by means of questionnaires or interviews, and relevant cost data with regard to effect measures and health care utilization, work absenteeism, travel expenses, use of over-the-counter medication, and help from family and friends, are collected by means of cost diaries, questionnaires, or (telephone) interviews. Fifthly, real costs are calculated, or the costs are estimated on the basis of real costs, guideline prices, or tariffs. Finally, in the statistical analysis the mean direct, indirect, and total costs of the alternatives are compared, using bootstrapping techniques. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios are graphically presented on a cost-effectiveness plane and acceptability curves are calculated. Economic evaluations require specific methods. These recommendations may be helpful in improving the quality of economic evaluations of new and existing therapeutic interventions in the field of spinal disorders.

Cacao Intensification in Sulawesi: A Green Prosperity Model Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moriarty, K.; Elchinger, M.; Hill, G.

2014-09-01

NREL conducted eight model projects for Millennium Challenge Corporation's (MCC) Compact with Indonesia. Green Prosperity, the largest project of the Compact, seeks to address critical constraints to economic growth while supporting the Government of Indonesia's commitment to a more sustainable, less carbon-intensive future. This study evaluates techniques to improve cacao farming in Sulawesi Indonesia with an emphasis on Farmer Field Schools and Cocoa Development Centers to educate farmers and for train the trainer programs. The study estimates the economic viability of cacao farming if smallholder implement techniques to increase yield as well as social and environmental impacts of the project.

A Primer on Health Economic Evaluations in Thoracic Oncology.

PubMed

Whittington, Melanie D; Atherly, Adam J; Bocsi, Gregary T; Camidge, D Ross

2016-08-01

There is growing interest for economic evaluation in oncology to illustrate the value of multiple new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. As these analyses have started to move from specialist publications into mainstream medical literature, the wider medical audience consuming this information may need additional education to evaluate it appropriately. Here we review standard practices in economic evaluation, illustrating the different methods with thoracic oncology examples where possible. When interpreting and conducting health economic studies, it is important to appraise the method, perspective, time horizon, modeling technique, discount rate, and sensitivity analysis. Guidance on how to do this is provided. To provide a method to evaluate this literature, a literature search was conducted in spring 2015 to identify economic evaluations published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology. Articles were reviewed for their study design, and areas for improvement were noted. Suggested improvements include using more rigorous sensitivity analyses, adopting a standard approach to reporting results, and conducting complete economic evaluations. Researchers should design high-quality studies to ensure the validity of the results, and consumers of this research should interpret these studies critically on the basis of a full understanding of the methodologies used before considering any of the conclusions. As advancements occur on both the research and consumer sides, this literature can be further developed to promote the best use of resources for this field. Copyright © 2016 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solar energy system economic evaluation. Final report for SEECO Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1980-09-01

The economic analysis of the solar energy system that was installed at Lincoln, Nebraska is developed for this and four other sites typical of a wide range of environmental and economic conditions in the continental United States. This analysis is accomplished based on the technical and economic models in the f-chart design procedure with inputs based on the characteristics of the installed system and local conditions. The results are expressed in terms of the economic parameters of present worth of system cost over a projected twenty year life: life cycle savings, year of positive savings and year of payback formore » the optimized solar energy system at each of the analysis sites. The sensitivity of the economic evaluation to uncertainties in constituent system and economic variables is also investigated. Although budget constraints preclude an economic reevaluation of each of the sites, a similar site, Carlsbad, New Nexico, was done. When 1985 escalated values for fuel, costs, mass production, and improved design and installation techniques were applied, a significantly higher degree of savings was realized.« less

Technical and economic aspects of hydrogen storage in metal hydrides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmitt, R.

1981-01-01

The recovery of hydrogen from such metal hydrides as LiH, MgH2, TiH2, CaH2 and FeTiH compounds is studied, with the aim of evaluating the viability of the technique for the storage of hydrogen fuel. The pressure-temperature dependence of the reactions, enthalpies of formation, the kinetics of the hydrogen absorption and desorption, and the mechanical and chemical stability of the metal hydrides are taken into account in the evaluation. Economic aspects are considered. Development of portable metal hydride hydrogen storage reservoirs is also mentioned.

Concepts of ‘personalization’ in personalized medicine: implications for economic evaluation

PubMed Central

Rogowski, Wolf; Payne, Katherine; Schnell-Inderst, Petra; Manca, Andrea; Rochau, Ursula; Jahn, Beate; Alagoz, Oguzhan; Leidl, Reiner; Siebert, Uwe

2015-01-01

Context This paper assesses if, and how, existing methods for economic evaluation are applicable to the evaluation of PM and if not, where extension to methods may be required. Method Structured workshop with a pre-defined group of experts (n=47), run using a modified nominal group technique. Workshop findings were recorded using extensive note taking and summarised using thematic data analysis. The workshop was complemented by structured literature searches. Results The key finding emerging from the workshop, using an economic perspective, was that two distinct, but linked, interpretations of the concept of PM exist (personalization by ‘physiology’ or ‘preferences’). These interpretations involve specific challenges for the design and conduct of economic evaluations. Existing evaluative (extra-welfarist) frameworks were generally considered appropriate for evaluating PM. When ‘personalization’ is viewed as using physiological biomarkers, challenges include: representing complex care pathways; representing spill-over effects; meeting data requirements such as evidence on heterogeneity; choosing appropriate time horizons for the value of further research in uncertainty analysis. When viewed as tailoring medicine to patient preferences, further work is needed regarding: revealed preferences, e.g. treatment (non)adherence; stated preferences, e.g. risk interpretation and attitude; consideration of heterogeneity in preferences; and the appropriate framework (welfarism vs. extra-welfarism) to incorporate non-health benefits. Conclusion Ideally, economic evaluations should take account of both interpretations of PM and consider physiology and preferences. It is important for decision makers to be cognizant of the issues involved with the economic evaluation of PM to appropriately interpret the evidence and target future research funding. PMID:25249200

Conversion of transuranic waste to low level waste by decontamination: a technical and economic evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Allen, R.P.; Hazelton, R.F.

1984-12-01

A study was conducted to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of using in-situ decontamination techniques to convert glove boxes and other large TRU-contaminated components directly into LLW. The results of the technical evaluation indicate that in-situ decontamination of these types of components to non-TRU levels is technically feasible. Applicable decontamination techniques include electropolishing, hand scrubbing, chemical washes/sprays, strippable coatings and Freon spray-cleaning. The removal of contamination from crevices and other holdup areas remains a problem, but may be solved through further advances in decontamination technology. Also, the increase in the allowable maximum TRU level from 10 nCi/g to 100more » nCi/g as defined in DOE Order 5820.2 reduces the removal requirement and facilitates measurement of the remaining quantities. The major emphasis of the study was on a cost/benefit evaluation that included a review and update of previous analyses and evaluations of TRU-waste volume reduction and conversion options. The results of the economic evaluation show, for the assumptions used, that there is a definite cost incentive to size reduce large components, and that decontamination of sectioned material has become cost competitive with the size reduction options. In-situ decontamination appears to be the lowest cost option when based on routine-type operations conducted by well-trained and properly equipped personnel. 16 references, 1 figure, 7 tables.« less

A Preliminary Economic Evaluation of Marine Corps Acquisition Practices: UHF Satellite Communication Ground Terminal Acquisitions

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

34 Replace outdated teletypewriter/printer technology with the four AN/ UGC - 74’s; " Upgrade communication security (COMSEC) equipment to retain...unbiased information. In fact, the private user recognizes that good marketing techniques are required to receive favorable consideration for a private...developed in accounting, finance, economics, marketing , political science, sociology, and organizational behavior literature. "[The principal-agent

Is transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) a cost-effective treatment in patients who are ineligible for surgical aortic valve replacement? A systematic review of economic evaluations.

PubMed

Eaton, James; Mealing, Stuart; Thompson, Juliette; Moat, Neil; Kappetein, Pieter; Piazza, Nicolo; Busca, Rachele; Osnabrugge, Ruben

2014-05-01

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) agencies often undertake a review of economic evaluations of an intervention during an appraisal in order to identify published estimates of cost-effectiveness, to elicit comparisons with the results of their own model, and to support local reimbursement decision-making. The aim of this research is to determine whether Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) compared to medical management (MM) is cost-effective in patients ineligible for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), across different jurisdictions and country-specific evaluations. A systematic review of the literature from 2007-2012 was performed in the MEDLINE, MEDLINE in-process, EMBASE, and UK NHS EED databases according to standard methods, supplemented by a search of published HTA models. All identified publications were reviewed independently by two health economists. The British Medical Journal (BMJ) 35-point checklist for economic evaluations was used to assess study reporting. To compare results, incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were converted to 2012 dollars using purchasing power parity (PPP) techniques. Six studies were identified representing five reimbursement jurisdictions (England/Wales, Scotland, the US, Canada, and Belgium) and different modeling techniques. The identified economic evaluations represent different willingness-to-pay thresholds, discount rates, medical costs, and healthcare systems. In addition, the model structures, time horizons, and cycle lengths varied. When adjusting for differences in currencies, the ICERs ranged from $27K-$65K per QALY gained. Despite notable differences in modeling approach, under the thresholds defined by using either the local threshold value or that recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold value, each study showed that TAVI was likely to be a cost-effective intervention for patients ineligible for SAVR.

Risk in fire management decisionmaking: techniques and criteria

Treesearch

Gail Blatternberger; William F. Hyde; Thomas J. Mills

1984-01-01

In the past, decisionmaking in wildland fire management generally has not included a full consideration of the risk and uncertainty that is inherent in evaluating alternatives. Fire management policies in some Federal land management agencies now require risk evaluation. The model for estimating the economic efficiency of fire program alternatives is the minimization...

Airline return-on-investment model for technology evaluation. [computer program to measure economic value of advanced technology applied to passenger aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

This report presents the derivation, description, and operating instructions for a computer program (TEKVAL) which measures the economic value of advanced technology features applied to long range commercial passenger aircraft. The program consists of three modules; and airplane sizing routine, a direct operating cost routine, and an airline return-on-investment routine. These modules are linked such that they may be operated sequentially or individually, with one routine generating the input for the next or with the option of externally specifying the input for either of the economic routines. A very simple airplane sizing technique was previously developed, based on the Brequet range equation. For this program, that sizing technique has been greatly expanded and combined with the formerly separate DOC and ROI programs to produce TEKVAL.

Improving the Accuracy of Urban Environmental Quality Assessment Using Geographically-Weighted Regression Techniques.

PubMed

Faisal, Kamil; Shaker, Ahmed

2017-03-07

Urban Environmental Quality (UEQ) can be treated as a generic indicator that objectively represents the physical and socio-economic condition of the urban and built environment. The value of UEQ illustrates a sense of satisfaction to its population through assessing different environmental, urban and socio-economic parameters. This paper elucidates the use of the Geographic Information System (GIS), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Geographically-Weighted Regression (GWR) techniques to integrate various parameters and estimate the UEQ of two major cities in Ontario, Canada. Remote sensing, GIS and census data were first obtained to derive various environmental, urban and socio-economic parameters. The aforementioned techniques were used to integrate all of these environmental, urban and socio-economic parameters. Three key indicators, including family income, higher level of education and land value, were used as a reference to validate the outcomes derived from the integration techniques. The results were evaluated by assessing the relationship between the extracted UEQ results and the reference layers. Initial findings showed that the GWR with the spatial lag model represents an improved precision and accuracy by up to 20% with respect to those derived by using GIS overlay and PCA techniques for the City of Toronto and the City of Ottawa. The findings of the research can help the authorities and decision makers to understand the empirical relationships among environmental factors, urban morphology and real estate and decide for more environmental justice.

Improving the Accuracy of Urban Environmental Quality Assessment Using Geographically-Weighted Regression Techniques

PubMed Central

Faisal, Kamil; Shaker, Ahmed

2017-01-01

Urban Environmental Quality (UEQ) can be treated as a generic indicator that objectively represents the physical and socio-economic condition of the urban and built environment. The value of UEQ illustrates a sense of satisfaction to its population through assessing different environmental, urban and socio-economic parameters. This paper elucidates the use of the Geographic Information System (GIS), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Geographically-Weighted Regression (GWR) techniques to integrate various parameters and estimate the UEQ of two major cities in Ontario, Canada. Remote sensing, GIS and census data were first obtained to derive various environmental, urban and socio-economic parameters. The aforementioned techniques were used to integrate all of these environmental, urban and socio-economic parameters. Three key indicators, including family income, higher level of education and land value, were used as a reference to validate the outcomes derived from the integration techniques. The results were evaluated by assessing the relationship between the extracted UEQ results and the reference layers. Initial findings showed that the GWR with the spatial lag model represents an improved precision and accuracy by up to 20% with respect to those derived by using GIS overlay and PCA techniques for the City of Toronto and the City of Ottawa. The findings of the research can help the authorities and decision makers to understand the empirical relationships among environmental factors, urban morphology and real estate and decide for more environmental justice. PMID:28272334

Technical and Economic Assessment of Span-Loaded Cargo Aircraft Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The benefits are assessed of span distributed loading concepts as applied to future commercial air cargo operations. A two phased program is used to perform this assessment. The first phase consists of selected parametric studies to define significant configuration, performance, and economic trends. The second phase consists of more detailed engineering design, analysis, and economic evaluations to define the technical and economic feasibility of a selected spanloader design. A conventional all-cargo aircraft of comparable technology and size is used as a comparator system. The technical feasibility is demonstrated of the spanloader concept with no new major technology efforts required to implement the system. However, certain high pay-off technologies such as winglets, airfoil design, and advanced structural materials and manufacturing techniques need refinement and definition prior to application. In addition, further structural design analysis could establish the techniques and criteria necessary to fully capitalize upon the high degree of structural commonality and simplicity inherent in the spanloader concept.

Q methodology in health economics.

PubMed

Baker, Rachel; Thompson, Carl; Mannion, Russell

2006-01-01

The recognition that health economists need to understand the meaning of data if they are to adequately understand research findings which challenge conventional economic theory has led to the growth of qualitative modes of enquiry in health economics. The use of qualitative methods of exploration and description alongside quantitative techniques gives rise to a number of epistemological, ontological and methodological challenges: difficulties in accounting for subjectivity in choices, the need for rigour and transparency in method, and problems of disciplinary acceptability to health economists. Q methodology is introduced as a means of overcoming some of these challenges. We argue that Q offers a means of exploring subjectivity, beliefs and values while retaining the transparency, rigour and mathematical underpinnings of quantitative techniques. The various stages of Q methodological enquiry are outlined alongside potential areas of application in health economics, before discussing the strengths and limitations of the approach. We conclude that Q methodology is a useful addition to economists' methodological armoury and one that merits further consideration and evaluation in the study of health services.

Economic Analysis in the Pacific Northwest Land Resources Project: Theoretical Considerations and Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morse, D. R. A.; Sahlberg, J. T.

1977-01-01

The Pacific Northwest Land Resources Inventory Demonstration Project i s an a ttempt to combine a whole spectrum of heterogeneous geographic, institutional and applications elements in a synergistic approach to the evaluation of remote sensing techniques. This diversity is the prime motivating factor behind a theoretical investigation of alternative economic analysis procedures. For a multitude of reasons--simplicity, ease of understanding, financial constraints and credibility, among others--cost-effectiveness emerges as the most practical tool for conducting such evaluation determinatIons in the Pacific Northwest. Preliminary findings in two water resource application areas suggest, in conformity with most published studies, that Lands at-aided data collection methods enjoy substantial cost advantages over alternative techniques. The pntential for sensitivity analysis based on cost/accuracy tradeoffs is considered on a theoretical plane in the absence of current accuracy figures concerning the Landsat-aided approach.

Evaluation of automobiles with alternative fuels utilizing multicriteria techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brey, J. J.; Contreras, I.; Carazo, A. F.; Brey, R.; Hernández-Díaz, A. G.; Castro, A.

This work applies the non-parametric technique of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to conduct a multicriteria comparison of some existing and under development technologies in the automotive sector. The results indicate that some of the technologies under development, such as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, can be classified as efficient when evaluated in function of environmental and economic criteria, with greater importance being given to the environmental criteria. The article also demonstrates the need to improve the hydrogen-based technology, in comparison with the others, in aspects such as vehicle sale costs and fuel price.

Wind energy prospecting: socio-economic value of a new wind resource assessment technique based on a NASA Earth science dataset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanvyve, E.; Magontier, P.; Vandenberghe, F. C.; Delle Monache, L.; Dickinson, K.

2012-12-01

Wind energy is amongst the fastest growing sources of renewable energy in the U.S. and could supply up to 20 % of the U.S power production by 2030. An accurate and reliable wind resource assessment for prospective wind farm sites is a challenging task, yet is crucial for evaluating the long-term profitability and feasibility of a potential development. We have developed an accurate and computationally efficient wind resource assessment technique for prospective wind farm sites, which incorporates innovative statistical techniques and the new NASA Earth science dataset MERRA. This technique produces a wind resource estimate that is more accurate than that obtained by the wind energy industry's standard technique, while providing a reliable quantification of its uncertainty. The focus now is on evaluating the socio-economic value of this new technique upon using the industry's standard technique. Would it yield lower financing costs? Could it result in lower electricity prices? Are there further down-the-line positive consequences, e.g. job creation, time saved, greenhouse gas decrease? Ultimately, we expect our results will inform efforts to refine and disseminate the new technique to support the development of the U.S. renewable energy infrastructure. In order to address the above questions, we are carrying out a cost-benefit analysis based on the net present worth of the technique. We will describe this approach, including the cash-flow process of wind farm financing, how the wind resource assessment factors in, and will present current results for various hypothetical candidate wind farm sites.

RESTORATION PLUS: A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RESEARCH PROGRAM TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS TO ACHIEVE ECOLOGICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is evaluating ecosystem restoration and management techniques to ensure they create sustainable solutions for degraded watersheds. The ORD/NRMRL initiated the Restoration Plus (RePlus) program in 2002, which emphasizes collabora...

Emergy evaluation of water utilization benefits in water-ecological-economic system based on water cycle process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, X.; Wu, Z.; Lv, C.

2017-12-01

The water utilization benefits are formed by the material flow, energy flow, information flow and value stream in the whole water cycle process, and reflected along with the material circulation of inner system. But most of traditional water utilization benefits evaluation are based on the macro level, only consider the whole material input and output and energy conversion relation, and lack the characterization of water utilization benefits accompanying with water cycle process from the formation mechanism. In addition, most studies are from the perspective of economics, only pay attention to the whole economic output and sewage treatment economic investment, but neglect the ecological function benefits of water cycle, Therefore, from the perspective of internal material circulation in the whole system, taking water cycle process as the process of material circulation and energy flow, the circulation and flow process of water and other ecological environment, social economic elements were described, and the composition of water utilization positive and negative benefits in water-ecological-economic system was explored, and the performance of each benefit was analyzed. On this basis, the emergy calculation method of each benefit was proposed by emergy quantitative analysis technique, which can realize the unified measurement and evaluation of water utilization benefits in water-ecological-economic system. Then, taking Zhengzhou city as an example, the corresponding benefits of different water cycle links were calculated quantitatively by emergy method, and the results showed that the emergy evaluation method of water utilization benefits can unify the ecosystem and the economic system, achieve uniform quantitative analysis, and measure the true value of natural resources and human economic activities comprehensively.

Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). Volume 3. Air Force Abstracts of Phase 1 Awards 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

The development of low-cost fabrication processes for high-performance composites is of paramount importance in the economical use of composites in...This proposal offers to evaluate the feasibility of marrying multiscale image processing techniques to multisensor image data. The product would be a...biotechnology to the production of 4-hydroxybenzocyclobutene will allow bulk manufacture of this polymer precursor by more economical means than is

Can economic evaluation in telemedicine be trusted? A systematic review of the literature

PubMed Central

Bergmo, Trine S

2009-01-01

Background Telemedicine has been advocated as an effective means to provide health care services over a distance. Systematic information on costs and consequences has been called for to support decision-making in this field. This paper provides a review of the quality, validity and generalisability of economic evaluations in telemedicine. Methods A systematic literature search in all relevant databases was conducted and forms the basis for addressing these issues. Only articles published in peer-reviewed journals and written in English in the period from 1990 to 2007 were analysed. The literature search identified 33 economic evaluations where both costs (resource use) and outcomes (non-resource consequences) were measured. Results This review shows that economic evaluations in telemedicine are highly diverse in terms of both the study context and the methods applied. The articles covered several medical specialities ranging from cardiology and dermatology to psychiatry. The studies analysed telemedicine in home care, and in primary and secondary care settings using a variety of different technologies including videoconferencing, still-images and monitoring (store-and-forward telemedicine). Most studies used multiple outcome measures and analysed the effects using disaggregated cost-consequence frameworks. Objectives, study design, and choice of comparators were mostly well reported. The majority of the studies lacked information on perspective and costing method, few used general statistics and sensitivity analysis to assess validity, and even fewer used marginal analysis. Conclusion As this paper demonstrates, the majority of the economic evaluations reviewed were not in accordance with standard evaluation techniques. Further research is needed to explore the reasons for this and to address how economic evaluation in telemedicine best can take advantage of local constraints and at the same time produce valid and generalisable results. PMID:19852828

Computer program for discounted cash flow/rate of return evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robson, W. D.

1971-01-01

Technique, incorporated into set of three computer programs, provides economic methodology for reducing all parameters to financially sound common denominator of present worth, and calculates resultant rate of return on new equipment, processes, or systems investments.

High lift selected concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, M. L.

1979-01-01

The benefits to high lift system maximum life and, alternatively, to high lift system complexity, of applying analytic design and analysis techniques to the design of high lift sections for flight conditions were determined and two high lift sections were designed to flight conditions. The influence of the high lift section on the sizing and economics of a specific energy efficient transport (EET) was clarified using a computerized sizing technique and an existing advanced airplane design data base. The impact of the best design resulting from the design applications studies on EET sizing and economics were evaluated. Flap technology trade studies, climb and descent studies, and augmented stability studies are included along with a description of the baseline high lift system geometry, a calculation of lift and pitching moment when separation is present, and an inverse boundary layer technique for pressure distribution synthesis and optimization.

A scoping review of pediatric economic evaluation 1980-2014: do trends over time reflect changing priorities in evaluation methods and childhood disease?

PubMed

Sullivan, Shannon M; Tsiplova, Kate; Ungar, Wendy J

2016-10-01

Economic evaluations conducted in children have unique features compared to adults. Important developments in pediatric economic evaluation in recent years include new options for valuing health states for cost-utility analysis (CUA) and shifting child health priorities. The Pediatric Economic Database Evaluation (PEDE) project includes a comprehensive database of pediatric health economic evaluations published since 1980. The objective of this scoping review was to identify trends over time in the use of CUA and other analytic techniques, and the therapeutic areas chosen for study. Areas covered: Medical and grey literature were searched, key characteristics were extracted, frequencies were tabulated and cross-tabulations were performed. Differences between early (1980 and 1999) and late (2000 and 2014) periods were assessed using a chi-squared statistic. Of the 2,776 pediatric economic evaluations published between 1980 and 2014, substantially more were cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) and CUAs than cost benefit analyses and cost minimization analyses (63.9 and 24.9% versus 7.6 and 3.6%, respectively). This pattern was consistent regardless of the type of intervention, disease or age group studied. A trend toward higher proportions of CUAs and CEAs was evident in the later period (X 2 p < 0.0001). Other significant trends included a higher proportion of studies of preventive interventions (X 2 p < 0.0001), and more studies in children aged 1 to 12 years and fewer in perinates in the later period (X 2 p < 0.0001). Overall the most common disease class studied was infectious diseases (29.2%). Expert commentary: Pediatric economic evaluation continues to grow in volume and methodologic complexity. While CUAs have increased, whether their quality has improved remains unknown. Although most studies are in infectious disease, the volume of publications may not align with emerging child health priorities such as adolescent health, injury, developmental disabilities, mental health, and the use of personalized medicine. Increasing economic evaluations in these areas will enhance pediatric decision-making.

Autologous Fat Grafting to the Breast Using REVOLVE System to Reduce Clinical Costs.

PubMed

Brzezienski, Mark A; Jarrell, John A

2016-09-01

With the increasing popularity of fat grafting over the past decade, the techniques for harvest, processing and preparation, and transfer of the fat cells have evolved to improve efficiency and consistency. The REVOLVE System is a fat processing device used in autologous fat grafting which eliminates much of the specialized equipment as well as the labor intensive and time consuming efforts of the original Coleman technique of fat processing. This retrospective study evaluates the economics of fat grafting, comparing traditional Coleman processing to the REVOLVE System. From June 2013 through December 2013, 88 fat grafting cases by a single-surgeon were reviewed. Timed procedures using either the REVOLVE System or Coleman technique were extracted from the group. Data including fat grafting procedure time, harvested volume, harvest and recipient sites, and concurrent procedures were gathered. Cost and utilization assessments were performed comparing the economics between the groups using standard values of operating room costs provided by the study hospital. Thirty-seven patients with timed procedures were identified, 13 of which were Coleman technique patients and twenty-four (24) were REVOLVE System patients. The average rate of fat transfer was 1.77 mL/minute for the Coleman technique and 4.69 mL/minute for the REVOLVE System, which was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.0001) between the 2 groups. Cost analysis comparing the REVOLVE System and Coleman techniques demonstrates a dramatic divergence in the price per mL of transferred fat at 75 mL when using the previously calculated rates for each group. This single surgeon's experience with the REVOLVE System for fat processing establishes economic support for its use in specific high-volume fat grafting cases. Cost analysis comparing the REVOLVE System and Coleman techniques suggests that in cases of planned fat transfer of 75 mL or more, using the REVOLVE System for fat processing is more economically beneficial. This study may serve as a guide to plastic surgeons in deciding which cases might be appropriate for the use of the REVOLVE System and is the first report comparing economics of fat grafting with the traditional Coleman technique and the REVOLVE System.

APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS REPORT: BABCOCK AND WILCOX CYCLONE FURNACE

EPA Science Inventory

This document is an evaluation of the performance of the Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) Cyclone Furnace Vitrification Technology and its applicability as a treatment technique for soils contaminated with heavy metals, radionuclides, and organics. oth the technical and economic aspects of...

EPOC WATER INC. MICROFILTRATION TECHNOLOGY - APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This document is an evaluation of the performance of the EPOC Water, Inc. Microfiltration Technology and its applicability as a treatment technique for water contaminated with metals. oth the technical aspects arid the economics of this technology were examined. Operational data ...

A quantitative evaluation of the public response to climate engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Malcolm J.; Teagle, Damon A. H.; Feetham, Pamela M.

2014-02-01

Atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations continue to increase, with CO2 passing 400 parts per million in May 2013. To avoid severe climate change and the attendant economic and social dislocation, existing energy efficiency and emissions control initiatives may need support from some form of climate engineering. As climate engineering will be controversial, there is a pressing need to inform the public and understand their concerns before policy decisions are taken. So far, engagement has been exploratory, small-scale or technique-specific. We depart from past research to draw on the associative methods used by corporations to evaluate brands. A systematic, quantitative and comparative approach for evaluating public reaction to climate engineering is developed. Its application reveals that the overall public evaluation of climate engineering is negative. Where there are positive associations they favour carbon dioxide removal (CDR) over solar radiation management (SRM) techniques. Therefore, as SRM techniques become more widely known they are more likely to elicit negative reactions. Two climate engineering techniques, enhanced weathering and cloud brightening, have indistinct concept images and so are less likely to draw public attention than other CDR or SRM techniques.

[Clinical and economic evaluation of laparoscopic surgery for inguinal hernia. Return of a difficult clinical choice].

PubMed

Bataille, N

2002-06-01

In the year 2000, the ANAES (National Agency for Accreditation and Evaluation of Health Care) published a technological and economic evaluation of the laparascopic approach to the repair of inguinal hernias based principally on the analysis of randomized studies. This analysis was all the more difficult because of the heterogeneity of the studies for which end results had a very weak level of proof. Laparascopic surgical techniques for inguinal hernia repair require the systematic use of mesh prosthesis and also general anesthesia. Published results are insufficient to compare specific laparascopic techniques with each other. The efficacy of laparoscopic repair compared to open repair with regard to hernia recurrence (the principal criteria of efficacy) has not been demonstrated--mainly because longterm results are not yet available. The overall evaluation of complications is too heterogeneous to show a difference between laparascopic and open surgery. There are, however, certain complications specific to laparascopic repair which, though rare, are potentially very serious. Excellent results reported with laparascopic repair may be due more to the systematic placement of mesh than-to to the approach itself--as has been shown in studies of open repairs "with tension" and "tension free." Superiority of the laparoscopic approach for specific types of hernia (primary unilateral, bilateral, recurrent) has not been demonstrated. Open surgery costs less than laparascopic hernia repair. The evaluation to date for laparascopic inguinal hernia repair is insufficient. Controlled studies with rigorous longterm follow-up and analysis of economic impact must be performed in comparable populations of patients.

Recommendations for reporting economic evaluations of haemophilia prophylaxis: a nominal groups consensus statement on behalf of the Economics Expert Working Group of The International Prophylaxis Study Group.

PubMed

Nicholson, A; Berger, K; Bohn, R; Carcao, M; Fischer, K; Gringeri, A; Hoots, K; Mantovani, L; Schramm, W; van Hout, B A; Willan, A R; Feldman, B M

2008-01-01

The need for clearly reported studies evaluating the cost of prophylaxis and its overall outcomes has been recommended from previous literature. To establish minimal ''core standards'' that can be followed when conducting and reporting economic evaluations of hemophilia prophylaxis. Ten members of the IPSG Economic Analysis Working Group participated in a consensus process using the Nominal Groups Technique (NGT). The following topics relating to the economic analysis of prophylaxis studies were addressed; Whose perspective should be taken? Which is the best methodological approach? Is micro- or macro-costing the best costing strategy? What information must be presented about costs and outcomes in order to facilitate local and international interpretation? The group suggests studies on the economic impact of prophylaxis should be viewed from a societal perspective and be reported using a Cost Utility Analysis (CUA) (with consideration of also reporting Cost Benefit Analysis [CBA]). All costs that exceed $500 should be used to measure the costs of prophylaxis (macro strategy) including items such as clotting factor costs, hospitalizations, surgical procedures, productivity loss and number of days lost from school or work. Generic and disease specific quality of lífe and utility measures should be used to report the outcomes of the study. The IPSG has suggested minimal core standards to be applied to the reporting of economic evaluations of hemophilia prophylaxis. Standardized reporting will facilitate the comparison of studies and will allow for more rational policy decisions and treatment choices.

The Leadership Evaluation and Analysis Program (LEAP). Economic Feasibility Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-07-01

data input and retrieval system that generates common solutions to Marine Corps con- cerns and produces leadership/ management training material while...experimental measures to assess the effects of Human Resource Management Cycle intervention aboard Navy ships (Mumford, 1976). Planned future evaluation...some management process or technique. Generally, the entire inter- vention procedure represents an expenditure toward the primary goal of improving

Economic considerations for bariatric surgery and morbid obesity

PubMed Central

Frezza, Eldo E; Wacthell, Mitchell; Ewing, Bradley

2009-01-01

The obesity epidemic is also an economic tragedy. This analysis evaluates the economic effects and the potential to improve the well-being of both individual and societal wealth. Econometric techniques should carefully assess the degree to which obesity affects declines in business output, employment, income, and tax revenues at the regional and national levels. Microeconomics assesses lost productivity and associated wages and profit. Macroeconomics assesses trends associated with employment, inflation, interest rates, money supply, and output. To decrease the adverse economic consequences of the obesity epidemic, policy makers must emphasize bariatric surgery as a cost-effective option for qualified patients. Early intervention, education, and tax rebates for obese individuals who undergo bariatric surgery and for medical centers and doctors would likely have positive economic effects on the whole economy in a few years. PMID:21935309

Economic considerations for bariatric surgery and morbid obesity.

PubMed

Frezza, Eldo E; Wacthell, Mitchell; Ewing, Bradley

2009-01-01

The obesity epidemic is also an economic tragedy. This analysis evaluates the economic effects and the potential to improve the well-being of both individual and societal wealth. Econometric techniques should carefully assess the degree to which obesity affects declines in business output, employment, income, and tax revenues at the regional and national levels. Microeconomics assesses lost productivity and associated wages and profit. Macroeconomics assesses trends associated with employment, inflation, interest rates, money supply, and output. To decrease the adverse economic consequences of the obesity epidemic, policy makers must emphasize bariatric surgery as a cost-effective option for qualified patients. Early intervention, education, and tax rebates for obese individuals who undergo bariatric surgery and for medical centers and doctors would likely have positive economic effects on the whole economy in a few years.

A Uniform Profit Policy for Government Acquisition

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-12-01

primarily to evaluate managerial (not economic) performance. The second survey by Gitman and Forrester concentrated on determining the 3 capital...budgeting techniques used by major firms. A list of 268 companies 3 L. J. Gitman , and J. R. Forrester, Jr. , "A Survey of Capital Budgeting Techniques...Approximately 70 percent of the firms responding to the Gitman and Forrester survey required returns of at least 15 percent before considering a project

Survival modeling for the estimation of transition probabilities in model-based economic evaluations in the absence of individual patient data: a tutorial.

PubMed

Diaby, Vakaramoko; Adunlin, Georges; Montero, Alberto J

2014-02-01

Survival modeling techniques are increasingly being used as part of decision modeling for health economic evaluations. As many models are available, it is imperative for interested readers to know about the steps in selecting and using the most suitable ones. The objective of this paper is to propose a tutorial for the application of appropriate survival modeling techniques to estimate transition probabilities, for use in model-based economic evaluations, in the absence of individual patient data (IPD). An illustration of the use of the tutorial is provided based on the final progression-free survival (PFS) analysis of the BOLERO-2 trial in metastatic breast cancer (mBC). An algorithm was adopted from Guyot and colleagues, and was then run in the statistical package R to reconstruct IPD, based on the final PFS analysis of the BOLERO-2 trial. It should be emphasized that the reconstructed IPD represent an approximation of the original data. Afterwards, we fitted parametric models to the reconstructed IPD in the statistical package Stata. Both statistical and graphical tests were conducted to verify the relative and absolute validity of the findings. Finally, the equations for transition probabilities were derived using the general equation for transition probabilities used in model-based economic evaluations, and the parameters were estimated from fitted distributions. The results of the application of the tutorial suggest that the log-logistic model best fits the reconstructed data from the latest published Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves of the BOLERO-2 trial. Results from the regression analyses were confirmed graphically. An equation for transition probabilities was obtained for each arm of the BOLERO-2 trial. In this paper, a tutorial was proposed and used to estimate the transition probabilities for model-based economic evaluation, based on the results of the final PFS analysis of the BOLERO-2 trial in mBC. The results of our study can serve as a basis for any model (Markov) that needs the parameterization of transition probabilities, and only has summary KM plots available.

Unremarked or Unperformed? Systematic Review on Reporting of Validation Efforts of Health Economic Decision Models in Seasonal Influenza and Early Breast Cancer.

PubMed

de Boer, Pieter T; Frederix, Geert W J; Feenstra, Talitha L; Vemer, Pepijn

2016-09-01

Transparent reporting of validation efforts of health economic models give stakeholders better insight into the credibility of model outcomes. In this study we reviewed recently published studies on seasonal influenza and early breast cancer in order to gain insight into the reporting of model validation efforts in the overall health economic literature. A literature search was performed in Pubmed and Embase to retrieve health economic modelling studies published between 2008 and 2014. Reporting on model validation was evaluated by checking for the word validation, and by using AdViSHE (Assessment of the Validation Status of Health Economic decision models), a tool containing a structured list of relevant items for validation. Additionally, we contacted corresponding authors to ask whether more validation efforts were performed other than those reported in the manuscripts. A total of 53 studies on seasonal influenza and 41 studies on early breast cancer were included in our review. The word validation was used in 16 studies (30 %) on seasonal influenza and 23 studies (56 %) on early breast cancer; however, in a minority of studies, this referred to a model validation technique. Fifty-seven percent of seasonal influenza studies and 71 % of early breast cancer studies reported one or more validation techniques. Cross-validation of study outcomes was found most often. A limited number of studies reported on model validation efforts, although good examples were identified. Author comments indicated that more validation techniques were performed than those reported in the manuscripts. Although validation is deemed important by many researchers, this is not reflected in the reporting habits of health economic modelling studies. Systematic reporting of validation efforts would be desirable to further enhance decision makers' confidence in health economic models and their outcomes.

Economic evaluation of health promotion for older people-methodological problems and challenges.

PubMed

Huter, Kai; Kocot, Ewa; Kissimova-Skarbek, Katarzyna; Dubas-Jakóbczyk, Katarzyna; Rothgang, Heinz

2016-09-05

The support of health promotion activities for older people gains societal relevance in terms of enhancing the health and well-being of older people with a view to the efficient use of financial resources in the healthcare sector. Health economic evaluations have become an important instrument to support decision-making processes in many countries. Sound evidence on the cost-effectiveness of health promotion activities would encourage support for the implementation of health promotion activities for older people. This debate article discusses to what extent economic evaluation techniques are appropriate to support decision makers in the allocation of resources regarding health promotion activities for older people. We address the problem that the economic evaluation of these interventions is hampered by methodological obstacles that limit comparability, e.g. with economic evaluations of curative measures. Our central objective is to describe and discuss the specific problems and challenges entailed in the economic evaluation of health promotion activities especially for older people with regard to their usefulness for informing decision making processes. Beyond general problems concerning the economic evaluation of health promotion, our discussion focusses on problems that pertain to the analysis of cost and outcomes of health promotion interventions for older people. With regard to costs these are general problems of economic evaluations, namely the actual implementation of a societal perspective, the appropriate measurement and valuation of informal caregiver time, the measurement and valuation of productivity costs and costs incurred in added years of life. The main problems concerning the identification and measurement of outcomes are related to the identification of outcome parameters that, firstly, adequately reflect the broad effects of health promotion interventions, especially social benefits that gain importance for older people, and secondly, ensure a comparability of effects across different age groups. In particular, the limitations of the widely used QALY for older people are discussed and recently developed alternatives are presented. The key conclusion of the article is that a comparison of the effects of different health promotion initiatives between different age groups by means of economic evaluation is not recommendable. Taking into account the complex outcomes of health promotion interventions it has to be accepted that the outcomes of these interventions will often not be comparable with clinical interventions and have to be assessed differently.

Suitability of soil bioengineering techniques in Central America: a case study in Nicaragua

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrone, A.; Preti, F.

2008-10-01

In the last few years "D. I. A. F." (Department of Agriculture and Forestry Engineering of Florence University), has been testing the effectiveness of soil bioengineering techniques in Central America. The focus of the present study was to find out which native plants were most suited for soil bioengineering purposes, particularly in the realization of riverbank protection in Nicaragua. Furthermore, we have also been aiming at economic efficiency. These techniques are appropriate for sustainable watershed management especially in underdeveloped countries. Concerning the plants to be used we experimented four native species. Gliricidia Sepium, Cordia dentata and Jatropha curcas are suitable for soil bioengineering more than Bursera Simaruba. Economically speaking, the sustainability of such interventions in underdeveloped countries, has been shown by the evaluation of the cost of riverbank protection using vegetated crib-walls in Nicaragua compared to the cost in different contexts.

Warrant Officer Senior Course WOSC Evaluation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

Finance 2 Principles of Economics II I Managerial Accounting (Graduate) I Marketing Management (Graduate) I Principles of Biology 2 Number of Students...34? ’)rocesi, T he 3’’?~- ’ ADP.’- Gon~wcrslo, i li tAdniastr: ja-ln Cili- an Porsonel Management 7 Sl1pplV 0-: --i i 2 Li Support Structlirk! (,r,. ral L.~ i...ing, a ontapuivar* d Ar,2a Soviet Irw CiS Class 81-1 SUBJECT HOURS Techniques of Management I Transactional Analysis 2 Economic Approach and Linear

Principles of pharmacoeconomics and their impact on strategic imperatives of pharmaceutical research and development.

PubMed

Bodrogi, József; Kaló, Zoltán

2010-04-01

The importance of evidence-based health policy is widely acknowledged among health care professionals, patients and politicians. Health care resources available for medical procedures, including pharmaceuticals, are limited all over the world. Economic evaluations help to alleviate the burden of scarce resources by improving the allocative efficiency of health care financing. Reimbursement of new medicines is subject to their cost-effectiveness and affordability in more and more countries. There are three major approaches to calculate the cost-effectiveness of new pharmaceuticals. Economic analyses alongside pivotal clinical trials are often inconclusive due to the suboptimal collection of economic data and protocol-driven costs. The major limitation of observational naturalistic economic evaluations is the selection bias and that they can be conducted only after registration and reimbursement. Economic modelling is routinely used to predict the cost-effectiveness of new pharmaceuticals for reimbursement purposes. Accuracy of cost-effectiveness estimates depends on the quality of input variables; validity of surrogate end points; and appropriateness of modelling assumptions, including model structure, time horizon and sophistication of the model to differentiate clinically and economically meaningful outcomes. These economic evaluation methods are not mutually exclusive; in practice, economic analyses often combine data collection alongside clinical trials or observational studies with modelling. The need for pharmacoeconomic evidence has fundamentally changed the strategic imperatives of research and development (R&D). Therefore, professionals in pharmaceutical R&D have to be familiar with the principles of pharmacoeconomics, including the selection of health policy-relevant comparators, analytical techniques, measurement of health gain by quality-adjusted life-years and strategic pricing of pharmaceuticals.

Principles of pharmacoeconomics and their impact on strategic imperatives of pharmaceutical research and development

PubMed Central

Bodrogi, József; Kaló, Zoltán

2010-01-01

The importance of evidence-based health policy is widely acknowledged among health care professionals, patients and politicians. Health care resources available for medical procedures, including pharmaceuticals, are limited all over the world. Economic evaluations help to alleviate the burden of scarce resources by improving the allocative efficiency of health care financing. Reimbursement of new medicines is subject to their cost-effectiveness and affordability in more and more countries. There are three major approaches to calculate the cost-effectiveness of new pharmaceuticals. Economic analyses alongside pivotal clinical trials are often inconclusive due to the suboptimal collection of economic data and protocol-driven costs. The major limitation of observational naturalistic economic evaluations is the selection bias and that they can be conducted only after registration and reimbursement. Economic modelling is routinely used to predict the cost-effectiveness of new pharmaceuticals for reimbursement purposes. Accuracy of cost-effectiveness estimates depends on the quality of input variables; validity of surrogate end points; and appropriateness of modelling assumptions, including model structure, time horizon and sophistication of the model to differentiate clinically and economically meaningful outcomes. These economic evaluation methods are not mutually exclusive; in practice, economic analyses often combine data collection alongside clinical trials or observational studies with modelling. The need for pharmacoeconomic evidence has fundamentally changed the strategic imperatives of research and development (R&D). Therefore, professionals in pharmaceutical R&D have to be familiar with the principles of pharmacoeconomics, including the selection of health policy-relevant comparators, analytical techniques, measurement of health gain by quality-adjusted life-years and strategic pricing of pharmaceuticals. PMID:20132213

An economic and financial exploratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cincotti, S.; Sornette, D.; Treleaven, P.; Battiston, S.; Caldarelli, G.; Hommes, C.; Kirman, A.

2012-11-01

This paper describes the vision of a European Exploratory for economics and finance using an interdisciplinary consortium of economists, natural scientists, computer scientists and engineers, who will combine their expertise to address the enormous challenges of the 21st century. This Academic Public facility is intended for economic modelling, investigating all aspects of risk and stability, improving financial technology, and evaluating proposed regulatory and taxation changes. The European Exploratory for economics and finance will be constituted as a network of infrastructure, observatories, data repositories, services and facilities and will foster the creation of a new cross-disciplinary research community of social scientists, complexity scientists and computing (ICT) scientists to collaborate in investigating major issues in economics and finance. It is also considered a cradle for training and collaboration with the private sector to spur spin-offs and job creations in Europe in the finance and economic sectors. The Exploratory will allow Social Scientists and Regulators as well as Policy Makers and the private sector to conduct realistic investigations with real economic, financial and social data. The Exploratory will (i) continuously monitor and evaluate the status of the economies of countries in their various components, (ii) use, extend and develop a large variety of methods including data mining, process mining, computational and artificial intelligence and every other computer and complex science techniques coupled with economic theory and econometric, and (iii) provide the framework and infrastructure to perform what-if analysis, scenario evaluations and computational, laboratory, field and web experiments to inform decision makers and help develop innovative policy, market and regulation designs.

Applications of hyperspectral imaging in chicken meat safety and quality detection and evaluation: a review.

PubMed

Xiong, Zhenjie; Xie, Anguo; Sun, Da-Wen; Zeng, Xin-An; Liu, Dan

2015-01-01

Currently, the issue of food safety and quality is a great public concern. In order to satisfy the demands of consumers and obtain superior food qualities, non-destructive and fast methods are required for quality evaluation. As one of these methods, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technique has emerged as a smart and promising analytical tool for quality evaluation purposes and has attracted much interest in non-destructive analysis of different food products. With the main advantage of combining both spectroscopy technique and imaging technique, HSI technique shows a convinced attitude to detect and evaluate chicken meat quality objectively. Moreover, developing a quality evaluation system based on HSI technology would bring economic benefits to the chicken meat industry. Therefore, in recent years, many studies have been conducted on using HSI technology for the safety and quality detection and evaluation of chicken meat. The aim of this review is thus to give a detailed overview about HSI and focus on the recently developed methods exerted in HSI technology developed for microbiological spoilage detection and quality classification of chicken meat. Moreover, the usefulness of HSI technique for detecting fecal contamination and bone fragments of chicken carcasses are presented. Finally, some viewpoints on its future research and applicability in the modern poultry industry are proposed.

AHIMSA - Ad hoc histogram information measure sensing algorithm for feature selection in the context of histogram inspired clustering techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dasarathy, B. V.

1976-01-01

An algorithm is proposed for dimensionality reduction in the context of clustering techniques based on histogram analysis. The approach is based on an evaluation of the hills and valleys in the unidimensional histograms along the different features and provides an economical means of assessing the significance of the features in a nonparametric unsupervised data environment. The method has relevance to remote sensing applications.

A systematic review of economic evaluations of seasonal influenza vaccination for the elderly population in the European Union.

PubMed

Shields, Gemma E; Elvidge, Jamie; Davies, Linda M

2017-06-10

The Council of the European Union (EU) has recommended that action should be taken to increase influenza vaccination in the elderly population. The aims were to systematically review and critically appraise economic evaluations for influenza vaccination in the elderly population in the EU. Electronic searches of the NHS Economic Evaluation, Health Technology Assessment, MEDLINE and Embase databases were run to identify full economic evaluations. Two levels of screening were used, with explicit inclusion criteria applied by two independent reviewers at each stage. Prespecified data extraction and critical appraisal were performed on identified studies. Results were summarised qualitatively. Of the 326 search results, screening identified eight relevant studies. Results varied widely, with the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio ranging from being both more effective and cheaper than no intervention to costing €4 59 350 per life-year gained. Cost-effectiveness was most sensitive to variations in influenza strain, vaccination type and strategy, population and modelling characteristics. Most studies suggest that vaccination is cost-effective (seven of eight studies identified at least one cost-effective scenario). All but one study used economic models to synthesise data from different sources. The results are uncertain due to the methods used and the relevance and robustness of the data used. Sensitivity analysis to explore these aspects was limited. Integrated, controlled prospective clinical and economic evaluations and surveillance data are needed to improve the evidence base. This would allow more advanced modelling techniques to characterise the epidemiology of influenza more accurately and improve the robustness of cost-effectiveness estimates. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Economic Evaluation of Environmental Health Interventions to Support Decision Making

PubMed Central

Hutton, Guy

2008-01-01

Environmental burden of disease represents one quarter of overall disease burden, hence necessitating greater attention from decision makers both inside and outside the health sector. Economic evaluation techniques such as cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-benefit analysis provide key information to health decision makers on the efficiency of environmental health interventions, assisting them in choosing interventions which give the greatest social return on limited public budgets and private resources. The aim of this article is to review economic evaluation studies in three environmental health areas—water, sanitation, hygiene (WSH), vector control, and air pollution—and to critically examine the policy relevance and scientific quality of the studies for selecting and funding public programmers. A keyword search of Medline from 1990–2008 revealed 32 studies, and gathering of articles from other sources revealed a further 18 studies, giving a total of 50 economic evaluation studies (13 WSH interventions, 16 vector control and 21 air pollution). Overall, the economic evidence base on environmental health interventions remains relatively weak—too few studies per intervention, of variable scientific quality and from diverse locations which limits generalisability of findings. Importantly, there still exists a disconnect between economic research, decision making and programmer implementation. This can be explained by the lack of translation of research findings into accessible documentation for policy makers and limited relevance of research findings, and the often low importance of economic evidence in budgeting decisions. These findings underline the importance of involving policy makers in the defining of research agendas and commissioning of research, and improving the awareness of researchers of the policy environment into which their research feeds. PMID:21572840

Assessing UAS mounted imaging sensors for the evaluation of Zea mays nitrogen status.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Improved efficiency of Nitrogen (N) fertilizer applications is an important environmental and economic issue for the agricultural community. Considerable research for improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) has focused on optimal timing and rate N applications. Remote sensing techniques can detect t...

Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) response to pyramid traps baited with attractive light and pheromonal stimuli

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Halyomorpha halys is an invasive insect that causes severe economic damage to multiple agricultural commodities. Several monitoring techniques have been developed to monitor H. halys including pheromone and light-baited black pyramid traps. Here, we evaluated the attractiveness of these traps bait...

Understanding information exchange during disaster response: Methodological insights from infocentric analysis

Treesearch

Toddi A. Steelman; Branda Nowell; Deena Bayoumi; Sarah McCaffrey

2014-01-01

We leverage economic theory, network theory, and social network analytical techniques to bring greater conceptual and methodological rigor to understand how information is exchanged during disasters. We ask, "How can information relationships be evaluated more systematically during a disaster response?" "Infocentric analysis"—a term and...

Personalizing the Food Pyramid. Teaching Techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Donna

1996-01-01

Presents a strategy for health and home economics teachers to use in evaluating secondary students' eating and nutritional patterns. Students keep two-day food journals then complete a colorful personal food pyramid with the results. This creates a personal pyramid of food choices that lets students explore their eating habits. (SM)

Soil quality evaluation using Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) in Brazilian oxisols with contrasting texture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To ensure current land use strategies and management practices are economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable, tools and techniques for assessing and quantifying changes in soil quality/health (SQ) need to be developed through rigorous research and potential use by consultants, and othe...

Approaches to the Analysis of School Costs, an Introduction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payzant, Thomas

A review and general discussion of quantitative and qualitative techniques for the analysis of economic problems outside of education is presented to help educators discover new tools for planning, allocating, and evaluating educational resources. The pamphlet covers some major components of cost accounting, cost effectiveness, cost-benefit…

Comparison of Economic Evaluation Methods Across Low‐income, Middle‐income and High‐income Countries: What are the Differences and Why?

PubMed Central

Legood, Rosa; Pitt, Catherine

2016-01-01

Abstract There are marked differences in methods used for undertaking economic evaluations across low‐income, middle‐income, and high‐income countries. We outline the most apparent dissimilarities and reflect on their underlying reasons. We randomly sampled 50 studies from each of three country income groups from a comprehensive database of 2844 economic evaluations published between January 2012 and May 2014. Data were extracted on ten methodological areas: (i) availability of guidelines; (ii) research questions; (iii) perspective; (iv) cost data collection methods; (v) cost data analysis; (vi) outcome measures; (vii) modelling techniques; (viii) cost‐effectiveness thresholds; (ix) uncertainty analysis; and (x) applicability. Comparisons were made across income groups and odds ratios calculated. Contextual heterogeneity rightly drives some of the differences identified. Other differences appear less warranted and may be attributed to variation in government health sector capacity, in health economics research capacity and in expectations of funders, journals and peer reviewers. By highlighting these differences, we seek to start a debate about the underlying reasons why they have occurred and to what extent the differences are conducive for methodological advancements. We suggest a number of specific areas in which researchers working in countries of differing environments could learn from one another. © 2016 The Authors. Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. PMID:26775571

Economic Techniques of Occupational Health and Safety Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidorov, Aleksandr I.; Beregovaya, Irina B.; Khanzhina, Olga A.

2016-10-01

The article deals with the issues on economic techniques of occupational health and safety management. Authors’ definition of safety management is given. It is represented as a task-oriented process to identify, establish and maintain such a state of work environment in which there are no possible effects of hazardous and harmful factors, or their influence does not go beyond certain limits. It was noted that management techniques that are the part of the control mechanism, are divided into administrative, organizational and administrative, social and psychological and economic. The economic management techniques are proposed to be classified depending on the management subject, management object, in relation to an enterprise environment, depending on a control action. Technoeconomic study, feasibility study, planning, financial incentives, preferential crediting of enterprises, pricing, profit sharing and equity, preferential tax treatment for enterprises, economic regulations and standards setting have been distinguished as economic techniques.

Model-Based Economic Evaluation of Treatments for Depression: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Kolovos, Spyros; Bosmans, Judith E; Riper, Heleen; Chevreul, Karine; Coupé, Veerle M H; van Tulder, Maurits W

2017-09-01

An increasing number of model-based studies that evaluate the cost effectiveness of treatments for depression are being published. These studies have different characteristics and use different simulation methods. We aimed to systematically review model-based studies evaluating the cost effectiveness of treatments for depression and examine which modelling technique is most appropriate for simulating the natural course of depression. The literature search was conducted in the databases PubMed, EMBASE and PsycInfo between 1 January 2002 and 1 October 2016. Studies were eligible if they used a health economic model with quality-adjusted life-years or disability-adjusted life-years as an outcome measure. Data related to various methodological characteristics were extracted from the included studies. The available modelling techniques were evaluated based on 11 predefined criteria. This methodological review included 41 model-based studies, of which 21 used decision trees (DTs), 15 used cohort-based state-transition Markov models (CMMs), two used individual-based state-transition models (ISMs), and three used discrete-event simulation (DES) models. Just over half of the studies (54%) evaluated antidepressants compared with a control condition. The data sources, time horizons, cycle lengths, perspectives adopted and number of health states/events all varied widely between the included studies. DTs scored positively in four of the 11 criteria, CMMs in five, ISMs in six, and DES models in seven. There were substantial methodological differences between the studies. Since the individual history of each patient is important for the prognosis of depression, DES and ISM simulation methods may be more appropriate than the others for a pragmatic representation of the course of depression. However, direct comparisons between the available modelling techniques are necessary to yield firm conclusions.

Technical and economical evaluation of water recycling in the carwash industry with membrane processes.

PubMed

Boussu, K; Eelen, D; Vanassche, S; Vandecasteele, C; Van der Bruggen, B; Van Baelen, G; Colen, W; Vanassche, S

2008-01-01

In the carwash industry, water recycling is necessary to be in accordance with present and upcoming environmental laws. As this is not possible with traditional techniques, membrane processes (like ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF)) are technically and economically evaluated in this study. Concerning the technical part, there needs to be a compromise between a high permeate permeability on the one hand and a high permeate purity on the other hand. Depending on the use of the purified wastewater, ultrafiltration (to recycle wastewater in the main wash cycle) or nanofiltration (to recycle wastewater in the rinsing step) would be the optimal choice. Concerning the financial part, the implementation of membrane processes in the wastewater purification installation is economically feasible, especially when expensive tap water is used as pure water. These positive evaluations imply that membrane processes can be useful to recycle wastewater in the carwash industry, on condition that the right membrane type (with the least membrane fouling) and the right process format (e.g., hybrid process of UF and/or NF with a biological treatment) is selected. Copyright IWA Publishing 2008.

Using pattern recognition as a method for predicting extreme events in natural and socio-economic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Intriligator, M.

2011-12-01

Vladimir (Volodya) Keilis-Borok has pioneered the use of pattern recognition as a technique for analyzing and forecasting developments in natural as well as socio-economic systems. Keilis-Borok's work on predicting earthquakes and landslides using this technique as a leading geophysicist has been recognized around the world. Keilis-Borok has also been a world leader in the application of pattern recognition techniques to the analysis and prediction of socio-economic systems. He worked with Allan Lichtman of American University in using such techniques to predict presidential elections in the U.S. Keilis-Borok and I have worked together with others on the use of pattern recognition techniques to analyze and to predict socio-economic systems. We have used this technique to study the pattern of macroeconomic indicators that would predict the end of an economic recession in the U.S. We have also worked with officers in the Los Angeles Police Department to use this technique to predict surges of homicides in Los Angeles.

Relations Among Central Auditory Abilities, Socio-Economic Factors, Speech Delay, Phonic Abilities and Reading Achievement: A Longitudinal Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowers, Arthur; Crandell, Edwin W.

Three auditory perceptual processes (resistance to distortion, selective listening in the form of auditory dedifferentiation, and binaural synthesis) were evaluated by five assessment techniques: (1) low pass filtered speech, (2) accelerated speech, (3) competing messages, (4) accelerated plus competing messages, and (5) binaural synthesis.…

Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain: economic evaluation.

PubMed

Hollinghurst, Sandra; Sharp, Debbie; Ballard, Kathleen; Barnett, Jane; Beattie, Angela; Evans, Maggie; Lewith, George; Middleton, Karen; Oxford, Frances; Webley, Fran; Little, Paul

2008-12-11

An economic evaluation of therapeutic massage, exercise, and lessons in the Alexander technique for treating persistent back pain. Cost consequences study and cost effectiveness analysis at 12 month follow-up of a factorial randomised controlled trial. 579 patients with chronic or recurrent low back pain recruited from primary care. Normal care (control), massage, and six or 24 lessons in the Alexander technique. Half of each group were randomised to a prescription for exercise from a doctor plus behavioural counselling from a nurse. Costs to the NHS and to participants. Comparison of costs with Roland-Morris disability score (number of activities impaired by pain), days in pain, and quality adjusted life years (QALYs). Comparison of NHS costs with QALY gain, using incremental cost effectiveness ratios and cost effectiveness acceptability curves. Intervention costs ranged from pound30 for exercise prescription to pound596 for 24 lessons in Alexander technique plus exercise. Cost of health services ranged from pound50 for 24 lessons in Alexander technique to pound124 for exercise. Incremental cost effectiveness analysis of single therapies showed that exercise offered best value ( pound61 per point on disability score, pound9 per additional pain-free day, pound2847 per QALY gain). For two-stage therapy, six lessons in Alexander technique combined with exercise was the best value (additional pound64 per point on disability score, pound43 per additional pain-free day, pound5332 per QALY gain). An exercise prescription and six lessons in Alexander technique alone were both more than 85% likely to be cost effective at values above pound20 000 per QALY, but the Alexander technique performed better than exercise on the full range of outcomes. A combination of six lessons in Alexander technique lessons followed by exercise was the most effective and cost effective option.

Evaluating the Effect of Three Water Management Techniques on Tomato Crop.

PubMed

Elnesr, Mohammad Nabil; Alazba, Abdurrahman Ali; Zein El-Abedein, Assem Ibrahim; El-Adl, Mahmoud Maher

2015-01-01

The effects of three water management techniques were evaluated on subsurface drip irrigated tomatoes. The three techniques were the intermittent flow (3 pulses), the dual-lateral drip system (two lateral lines per row, at 15 and 25 cm below soil surface), and the physical barrier (buried at 30 cm below soil surface). Field experiments were established for two successive seasons. Water movement in soil was monitored using continuously logging capacitance probes up to 60 cm depth. The results showed that the dual lateral technique positively increased the yield up to 50%, water use efficiency up to 54%, while the intermittent application improved some of the quality measures (fruit size, TSS, and Vitamin C), not the quantity of the yield that decreased in one season, and not affected in the other. The physical barrier has no significant effect on any of the important growth measures. The soil water patterns showed that the dual lateral method lead to uniform wetting pattern with depth up to 45 cm, the physical barrier appeared to increase lateral and upward water movement, while the intermittent application kept the wetting pattern at higher moisture level for longer time. The cost analysis showed also that the economic treatments were the dual lateral followed by the intermittent technique, while the physical barrier is not economical. The study recommends researching the effect of the dual lateral method on the root growth and performance. The intermittent application may be recommended to improve tomato quality but not quantity. The physical barrier is not recommended unless in high permeable soils.

Comparative evaluation of power factor impovement techniques for squirrel cage induction motors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Spee, R.; Wallace, A.K.

1992-04-01

This paper describes the results obtained from a series of tests of relatively simple methods of improving the power factor of squirrel-cage induction motors. The methods, which are evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions for a 10-hp, high-efficiency motor, include terminal voltage reduction; terminal static capacitors; and a floating'' winding with static capacitors. The test results are compared with equivalent circuit model predictions that are then used to identify optimum conditions for each of the power factor improvement techniques compared with the basic induction motor. Finally, the relative economic value, and the implications of component failures, of the three methods aremore » discussed.« less

Evaluating sustainable energy harvesting systems for human implantable sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AL-Oqla, Faris M.; Omar, Amjad A.; Fares, Osama

2018-03-01

Achieving most appropriate energy-harvesting technique for human implantable sensors is still challenging for the industry where keen decisions have to be performed. Moreover, the available polymeric-based composite materials are offering plentiful renewable applications that can help sustainable development as being useful for the energy-harvesting systems such as photovoltaic, piezoelectric, thermoelectric devices as well as other energy storage systems. This work presents an expert-based model capable of better evaluating and examining various available renewable energy-harvesting techniques in urban surroundings subject to various technical and economic, often conflicting, criteria. Wide evaluation criteria have been adopted in the proposed model after examining their suitability as well as ensuring the expediency and reliability of the model by worldwide experts' feedback. The model includes establishing an analytic hierarchy structure with simultaneous 12 conflicting factors to establish a systematic road map for designers to better assess such techniques for human implantable medical sensors. The energy-harvesting techniques considered were limited to Wireless, Thermoelectric, Infrared Radiator, Piezoelectric, Magnetic Induction and Electrostatic Energy Harvesters. Results have demonstrated that the best decision was in favour of wireless-harvesting technology for the medical sensors as it is preferable by most of the considered evaluation criteria in the model.

How Much Can Non-industry Standard Measurement Methodologies Benefit Methane Reduction Programs?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risk, D. A.; O'Connell, L.; Atherton, E.

2017-12-01

In recent years, energy sector methane emissions have been recorded in large part by applying modern non-industry-standard techniques. Industry may lack the regulatory flexibility to use such techniques, or in some cases may not understand the possible associated economic advantage. As progressive jurisdictions move from estimation and towards routine measurement, the research community should provide guidance to help regulators and companies measure more effectively, and economically if possible. In this study, we outline a modelling experiment in which we explore the integration of non-industry-standard measurement techniques as part of a generalized compliance measurement program. The study was not intended to be exhaustive, or to recommend particular combinations, but instead to explore the inter-relationships between methodologies, development type, compliance practice. We first defined the role, applicable scale, detection limits, working distances, and approximate deployment cost of several measurement methodologies. We then considered a variety of development types differing mainly in footprint, density, and emissions "profile". Using a Monte Carlo approach, we evaluated the effect of these various factors on the cost and confidence of the compliance measurement program. We found that when added individually, some of the research techniques were indeed able to deliver an improvement in cost and/or confidence when used alongside industry-standard Optical Gas Imaging. When applied in combination, the ideal fraction of each measurement technique depended on development type, emission profile, and whether confidence or cost was more important. Results suggest that measurement cost and confidence could be improved if energy companies exploited a wider range of measurement techniques, and in a manner tailored to each development. In the short-term, combining clear scientific guidance with economic information could benefit immediate mitigation efforts over developing new super sensors.

A sensitivity analysis of process design parameters, commodity prices and robustness on the economics of odour abatement technologies.

PubMed

Estrada, José M; Kraakman, N J R Bart; Lebrero, Raquel; Muñoz, Raúl

2012-01-01

The sensitivity of the economics of the five most commonly applied odour abatement technologies (biofiltration, biotrickling filtration, activated carbon adsorption, chemical scrubbing and a hybrid technology consisting of a biotrickling filter coupled with carbon adsorption) towards design parameters and commodity prices was evaluated. Besides, the influence of the geographical location on the Net Present Value calculated for a 20 years lifespan (NPV20) of each technology and its robustness towards typical process fluctuations and operational upsets were also assessed. This comparative analysis showed that biological techniques present lower operating costs (up to 6 times) and lower sensitivity than their physical/chemical counterparts, with the packing material being the key parameter affecting their operating costs (40-50% of the total operating costs). The use of recycled or partially treated water (e.g. secondary effluent in wastewater treatment plants) offers an opportunity to significantly reduce costs in biological techniques. Physical/chemical technologies present a high sensitivity towards H2S concentration, which is an important drawback due to the fluctuating nature of malodorous emissions. The geographical analysis evidenced high NPV20 variations around the world for all the technologies evaluated, but despite the differences in wage and price levels, biofiltration and biotrickling filtration are always the most cost-efficient alternatives (NPV20). When, in an economical evaluation, the robustness is as relevant as the overall costs (NPV20), the hybrid technology would move up next to BTF as the most preferred technologies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NASA-UVa Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology Program: Aluminum-Based Materials for High Speed Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starke, E. A., Jr. (Editor)

1996-01-01

This report is concerned with 'Aluminum-Based Materials for High Speed Aircraft' which was initiated to identify the technology needs associated with advanced, low-cost aluminum base materials for use as primary structural materials. Using a reference baseline aircraft, these materials concept will be further developed and evaluated both technically and economically to determine the most attractive combinations of designs, materials, and manufacturing techniques for major structural sections of an HSCT. Once this has been accomplished, the baseline aircraft will be resized, if applicable, and performance objectives and economic evaluations made to determine aircraft operating costs. The two primary objectives of this study are: (1) to identify the most promising aluminum-based materials with respect to major structural use on the HSCT and to further develop those materials, and (2) to assess these materials through detailed trade and evaluation studies with respect to their structural efficiency on the HSCT.

[Economic analysis of multinational clinical trials in oncology].

PubMed

Lejeune, Catherine; Lueza, Béranger; Bonastre, Julia

2018-02-01

In oncology, as in other fields of medicine, international multicentre clinical trials came into being so as to include a sufficient number of subjects to investigate a clinical situation. The existence of tight budgetary constraints and the desire to make the best use of the resources available have resulted in the development of economic evaluations associated with these trials, which, thanks to their level of evidence and their size, provide particularly relevant material. Nonetheless, economic evaluations alongside international clinical trials raise specific questions of methodology with regard to both the design and the analysis of the results. Indeed, the costs of goods and services consumed, the types and quantities of resources, and medical practices vary from one country to another and within an individual country. Economic data from the different countries involved must be available so as to study and to take into account this variability, and appropriate techniques for cost estimations and analysis must be implemented to aggregate the results from several countries. From a review of the literature, the aim of this work was to provide an overview of the specific methodological features of economic evaluations alongside international clinical trials: analysis of efficacy data from several countries, collection of resources and real costs, methods to establish the monetary value of resources, methods to aggregate results accounting for the trial effect. Copyright © 2017 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Benefit-cost analysis of addiction treatment: methodological guidelines and empirical application using the DATCAP and ASI.

PubMed

French, Michael T; Salomé, Helena J; Sindelar, Jody L; McLellan, A Thomas

2002-04-01

To provide detailed methodological guidelines for using the Drug Abuse Treatment Cost Analysis Program (DATCAP) and Addiction Severity Index (ASI) in a benefit-cost analysis of addiction treatment. A representative benefit-cost analysis of three outpatient programs was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility and value of the methodological guidelines. Procedures are outlined for using resource use and cost data collected with the DATCAP. Techniques are described for converting outcome measures from the ASI to economic (dollar) benefits of treatment. Finally, principles are advanced for conducting a benefit-cost analysis and a sensitivity analysis of the estimates. The DATCAP was administered at three outpatient drug-free programs in Philadelphia, PA, for 2 consecutive fiscal years (1996 and 1997). The ASI was administered to a sample of 178 treatment clients at treatment entry and at 7-months postadmission. The DATCAP and ASI appear to have significant potential for contributing to an economic evaluation of addiction treatment. The benefit-cost analysis and subsequent sensitivity analysis all showed that total economic benefit was greater than total economic cost at the three outpatient programs, but this representative application is meant to stimulate future economic research rather than justifying treatment per se. This study used previously validated, research-proven instruments and methods to perform a practical benefit-cost analysis of real-world treatment programs. The study demonstrates one way to combine economic and clinical data and offers a methodological foundation for future economic evaluations of addiction treatment.

Artificial Regeneration of Blue and Coast Live Oaks in the Central Coast

Treesearch

Tim R. Plumb; Bennie Hannah

1991-01-01

The primary goal of this study was to find economical and effective planting techniques that will ensure the establishment and early survival of coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia Née) and blue oak (Q. douglasii H. and A.) in the Central Coast region of California. Eight treatments were evaluated ranging from unprotected seed spots...

Estimating the Economic Value of Lethal Versus Nonlethal Deer Control in Suburban Communities

Treesearch

J. Michael Bowker; David H. Newman; Robert J. Warren; David W. Henderson

2003-01-01

Negative people/wildlife interaction has raised public interest in wildlife population control. We present a contingent valuation study of alternative deer control measures considered for Hilton Head Island, SC. Lethal control usig sharpshooters and nonlethal immuno-contraception techniques are evaluated. A mail-back survey was used to collect resident willingness-to-...

Oak Woodland Artificial Regeneration - Correlating Soil Moisture to Seedling Survival

Treesearch

Tim R. Plumb; Karl Kraus

1991-01-01

The primary goal of this study was to find economical and effective planting techniques that will ensure the establishment and early survival of coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia Née) and blue oak (Q. douglasii H. and A.) in the Central Coast region of California. Eight treatments were evaluated ranging from unprotected seed spots...

Thirst-dependent risk preferences in monkeys identify a primitive form of wealth.

PubMed

Yamada, Hiroshi; Tymula, Agnieszka; Louie, Kenway; Glimcher, Paul W

2013-09-24

Experimental economic techniques have been widely used to evaluate human risk attitudes, but how these measured attitudes relate to overall individual wealth levels is unclear. Previous noneconomic work has addressed this uncertainty in animals by asking the following: (i) Do our close evolutionary relatives share both our risk attitudes and our degree of economic rationality? And (ii) how does the amount of food or water one holds (a nonpecuniary form of "wealth") alter risk attitudes in these choosers? Unfortunately, existing noneconomic studies have provided conflicting insights from an economic point of view. We therefore used standard techniques from human experimental economics to measure monkey risk attitudes for water rewards as a function of blood osmolality (an objective measure of how much water the subjects possess). Early in training, monkeys behaved randomly, consistently violating first-order stochastic dominance and monotonicity. After training, they behaved like human choosers--technically consistent in their choices and weakly risk averse (i.e., risk averse or risk neutral on average)--suggesting that well-trained monkeys can serve as a model for human choice behavior. As with attitudes about money in humans, these risk attitudes were strongly wealth dependent; as the animals became "poorer," risk aversion increased, a finding incompatible with some models of wealth and risk in human decision making.

The economic impact of workplace wellness programmes in Canada.

PubMed

Jacobs, J C; Yaquian, E; Burke, S M; Rouse, M; Zaric, G

2017-08-01

The economic benefits of workplace wellness programmes (WWPs) are commonly cited as a reason for employers to implement such programmes; however, there is limited evidence outside of the US context exploring their economic impact. US evidence is less relevant in countries such as Canada with universal publicly funded health systems because of the lower potential employer savings from WWPs. To conduct a systematic review of the Canadian literature investigating the economic impact of WWPs from an employer perspective. The quality of that evidence was also assessed. We reviewed literature which included analyses of four economic outcomes: return on investment calculations; cost-effectiveness or cost-benefit analyses; valuations of productivity, turnover, absenteeism and/or presenteeism costs; and valuations of health care utilization costs. We applied the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Economic Evaluation Working Party Checklist to evaluate the quality of this evidence. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Although the studies showed that WWPs generated economic benefits from an employer perspective (largely from productivity changes), none of the reviewed studies were in the high-quality category (i.e. fulfilled at least 75% of the checklist criteria) and most had severe methodological issues. Though the Canadian literature pertaining to the economic impact of WWPs spans over three decades, robust evidence on this topic remains sparse. Future research should include a comparable control group, a time horizon of over a year, both direct and indirect costs, and researchers should apply analytical techniques that account for potential selection bias. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society of Occupational Medicine 2017.

Is minimal access spine surgery more cost-effective than conventional spine surgery?

PubMed

Lubelski, Daniel; Mihalovich, Kathryn E; Skelly, Andrea C; Fehlings, Michael G; Harrop, James S; Mummaneni, Praveen V; Wang, Michael Y; Steinmetz, Michael P

2014-10-15

Systematic review. To summarize and critically review the economic literature evaluating the cost-effectiveness of minimal access surgery (MAS) compared with conventional open procedures for the cervical and lumbar spine. MAS techniques may improve perioperative parameters (length of hospital stay and extent of blood loss) compared with conventional open approaches. However, some have questioned the clinical efficacy of these differences and the associated cost-effectiveness implications. When considering the long-term outcomes, there seem to be no significant differences between MAS and open surgery. PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration database, University of York, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (NHS-EED and HTA), and the Tufts CEA Registry were reviewed to identify full economic studies comparing MAS with open techniques prior to December 24, 2013, based on the key questions established a priori. Only economic studies that evaluated and synthesized the costs and consequences of MAS compared with conventional open procedures (i.e., cost-minimization, cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, or cost-utility) were considered for inclusion. Full text of the articles meeting inclusion criteria were reviewed by 2 independent investigators to obtain the final collection of included studies. The Quality of Health Economic Studies instrument was scored by 2 independent reviewers to provide an initial basis for critical appraisal of included economic studies. The search strategy yielded 198 potentially relevant citations, and 6 studies met the inclusion criteria, evaluating the costs and consequences of MAS versus conventional open procedures performed for the lumbar spine; no studies for the cervical spine met the inclusion criteria. Studies compared MAS tubular discectomy with conventional microdiscectomy, minimal access transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion versus open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, and multilevel hemilaminectomy via MAS versus open approach. Overall, the included cost-effectiveness studies generally supported no significant differences between open surgery and MAS lumbar approaches. However, these conclusions are preliminary because there was a paucity of high-quality evidence. Much of the evidence lacked details on methodology for modeling, related assumptions, justification of economic model chosen, and sources and types of included costs and consequences. The follow-up periods were highly variable, indirect costs were not frequently analyzed or reported, and many of the studies were conducted by a single group, thereby limiting generalizability. Prospective studies are needed to define differences and optimal treatment algorithms. 3.

Remote sensing in Alaska: Opportunities and policy implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moor, J. H.

1981-01-01

The natural resources of Alaska and their exploitation and further development are discussed. the use of remote sensing techniques for vegetation classification, wetlands identification, and other basic resource management techniques is assessed and the history of cooperation between state and federal land managers is reviewed. Agencies managing resources in Alaska are encountered to use existing forums to develop a coordinated program aimed at improving all resource management capabilities. Continuing education, training, demonstrations and evaluations must be provided to enhance management abilities and promote social and economic development in the state.

A predictive modeling approach to increasing the economic effectiveness of disease management programs.

PubMed

Bayerstadler, Andreas; Benstetter, Franz; Heumann, Christian; Winter, Fabian

2014-09-01

Predictive Modeling (PM) techniques are gaining importance in the worldwide health insurance business. Modern PM methods are used for customer relationship management, risk evaluation or medical management. This article illustrates a PM approach that enables the economic potential of (cost-) effective disease management programs (DMPs) to be fully exploited by optimized candidate selection as an example of successful data-driven business management. The approach is based on a Generalized Linear Model (GLM) that is easy to apply for health insurance companies. By means of a small portfolio from an emerging country, we show that our GLM approach is stable compared to more sophisticated regression techniques in spite of the difficult data environment. Additionally, we demonstrate for this example of a setting that our model can compete with the expensive solutions offered by professional PM vendors and outperforms non-predictive standard approaches for DMP selection commonly used in the market.

Evaluation of healthcare waste treatment/disposal alternatives by using multi-criteria decision-making techniques.

PubMed

Özkan, Aysun

2013-02-01

Healthcare waste should be managed carefully because of infected, pathological, etc. content especially in developing countries. Applied management systems must be the most appropriate solution from a technical, environmental, economic and social point of view. The main objective of this study was to analyse the current status of healthcare waste management in Turkey, and to investigate the most appropriate treatment/disposal option by using different decision-making techniques. For this purpose, five different healthcare waste treatment/disposal alternatives including incineration, microwaving, on-site sterilization, off-site sterilization and landfill were evaluated according to two multi-criteria decision-making techniques: analytic network process (ANP) and ELECTRE. In this context, benefits, costs and risks for the alternatives were taken into consideration. Furthermore, the prioritization and ranking of the alternatives were determined and compared for both methods. According to the comparisons, the off-site sterilization technique was found to be the most appropriate solution in both cases.

DNA nanosensor surface grafting and salt dependence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvalho, B. G.; Fagundes, J.; Martin, A. A.; Raniero, L.; Favero, P. P.

2013-02-01

In this paper we investigated the Paracoccidoides brasiliensis fungus nanosensor by simulations of simple strand DNA grafting on gold nanoparticle. In order to improve the knowledge of nanoparticle environment, the addiction of salt solution was studied at the models proposed by us. Nanoparticle and DNA are represented by economic models validated by us in this paper. In addition, the DNA grafting and salt influences are evaluated by adsorption and bond energies calculations. This theoretical evaluation gives support to experimental diagnostics techniques of diseases.

A systematic review of models used in cost-effectiveness analyses of preventing osteoporotic fractures.

PubMed

Si, L; Winzenberg, T M; Palmer, A J

2014-01-01

This review was aimed at the evolution of health economic models used in evaluations of clinical approaches aimed at preventing osteoporotic fractures. Models have improved, with medical continuance becoming increasingly recognized as a contributor to health and economic outcomes, as well as advancements in epidemiological data. Model-based health economic evaluation studies are increasingly used to investigate the cost-effectiveness of osteoporotic fracture preventions and treatments. The objective of this study was to carry out a systematic review of the evolution of health economic models used in the evaluation of osteoporotic fracture preventions. Electronic searches within MEDLINE and EMBASE were carried out using a predefined search strategy. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to select relevant studies. References listed of included studies were searched to identify any potential study that was not captured in our electronic search. Data on country, interventions, type of fracture prevention, evaluation perspective, type of model, time horizon, fracture sites, expressed costs, types of costs included, and effectiveness measurement were extracted. Seventy-four models were described in 104 publications, of which 69% were European. Earlier models focused mainly on hip, vertebral, and wrist fracture, but later models included multiple fracture sites (humerus, pelvis, tibia, and other fractures). Modeling techniques have evolved from simple decision trees, through deterministic Markov processes to individual patient simulation models accounting for uncertainty in multiple parameters. Treatment continuance has been increasingly taken into account in the models in the last decade. Models have evolved in their complexity and emphasis, with medical continuance becoming increasingly recognized as a contributor to health and economic outcomes. This evolution may be driven in part by the desire to capture all the important differentiating characteristics of medications under scrutiny, as well as the advancement in epidemiological data relevant to osteoporosis fractures.

Techniques for assessing water resource potentials in the developing countries: with emphasis on streamflow, erosion and sediment transport, water movement in unsaturated soils, ground water, and remote sensing in hydrologic applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, George C.

1971-01-01

Hydrologic instrumentation and methodology for assessing water-resource potentials have originated largely in the developed countries of the temperature zone. The developing countries lie largely in the tropic zone, which contains the full gamut of the earth's climatic environments, including most of those of the temperate zone. For this reason, most hydrologic techniques have world-wide applicability. Techniques for assessing water-resource potentials for the high priority goals of economic growth are well established in the developing countries--but much more are well established in the developing countries--but much more so in some than in other. Conventional techniques for measurement and evaluation of basic hydrologic parameters are now well-understood in the developing countries and are generally adequate for their current needs and those of the immediate future. Institutional and economic constraints, however, inhibit growth of sustained programs of hydrologic data collection and application of the data to problems in engineering technology. Computer-based technology, including processing of hydrologic data and mathematical modelling of hydrologic parameters i also well-begun in many developing countries and has much wider potential application. In some developing counties, however, there is a tendency to look on the computer as a panacea for deficiencies in basic hydrologic data collection programs. This fallacy must be discouraged, as the computer is a tool and not a "magic box." There is no real substitute for sound programs of basic data collection. Nuclear and isotopic techniques are being used increasingly in the developed countries in the measurement and evaluation of virtually all hydrologic parameter in which conventional techniques have been used traditionally. Even in the developed countries, however, many hydrologists are not using nuclear techniques, simply because they lack knowledge of the principles involved and of the potential benefits. Nuclear methodology in hydrologic applications is generally more complex than the conventional and hence requires a high level of technical expertise for effective use. Application of nuclear techniques to hydrologic problems in the developing countries is likely to be marginal for some years to come, owing to the higher costs involved and expertise required. Nuclear techniques, however, would seem to have particular promise in studies of water movement in unsaturated soils and of erosion and sedimentation where conventional techniques are inadequate, inefficient and in some cases costly. Remote sensing offers great promise for synoptic evaluations of water resources and hydrologic processes, including the transient phenomena of the hydrologic cycle. Remote sensing is not, however, a panacea for deficiencies in hydrologic data programs in the developing countries. Rather it is a means for extending and augmenting on-the-ground observations ans surveys (ground truth) to evaluated water resources and hydrologic processes on a regionall or even continental scale. With respect to economic growth goals in developing countries, there are few identifiable gaps in existing hydrologic instrumentation and methodology insofar as appraisal, development and management of available water resources are concerned. What is needed is acceleration of institutional development and professional motivation toward more effective use of existing and proven methodology. Moreover, much sophisticated methodology can be applied effectively in the developing countries only when adequate levels of indigenous scientific skills have been reached and supportive institutional frameworks are evolved to viability.

Heat Transfer Search Algorithm for Non-convex Economic Dispatch Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazra, Abhik; Das, Saborni; Basu, Mousumi

2018-06-01

This paper presents Heat Transfer Search (HTS) algorithm for the non-linear economic dispatch problem. HTS algorithm is based on the law of thermodynamics and heat transfer. The proficiency of the suggested technique has been disclosed on three dissimilar complicated economic dispatch problems with valve point effect; prohibited operating zone; and multiple fuels with valve point effect. Test results acquired from the suggested technique for the economic dispatch problem have been fitted to that acquired from other stated evolutionary techniques. It has been observed that the suggested HTS carry out superior solutions.

Heat Transfer Search Algorithm for Non-convex Economic Dispatch Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hazra, Abhik; Das, Saborni; Basu, Mousumi

2018-03-01

This paper presents Heat Transfer Search (HTS) algorithm for the non-linear economic dispatch problem. HTS algorithm is based on the law of thermodynamics and heat transfer. The proficiency of the suggested technique has been disclosed on three dissimilar complicated economic dispatch problems with valve point effect; prohibited operating zone; and multiple fuels with valve point effect. Test results acquired from the suggested technique for the economic dispatch problem have been fitted to that acquired from other stated evolutionary techniques. It has been observed that the suggested HTS carry out superior solutions.

Systematic review of studies evaluating the broader economic impact of vaccination in low and middle income countries.

PubMed

Deogaonkar, Rohan; Hutubessy, Raymond; van der Putten, Inge; Evers, Silvia; Jit, Mark

2012-10-16

Most health economic evaluations of childhood vaccination only capture the health and short-term economic benefits. Measuring broader, long-term effects of vaccination on productivity and externalities could provide a more complete picture of the value of vaccines. MEDLINE, EconLit and NHS-EED databases were searched for articles published between January 1990 and July 2011, which captured broader economic benefits of vaccines in low and middle income countries. Studies were included if they captured at least one of the following categories on broader economic impact: outcome-related productivity gains, behaviour-related productivity gains, ecological externalities, equity gains, financial sustainability gains or macroeconomic benefits. Twenty-six relevant studies were found, including observational studies, economic models and contingent valuation studies. Of the identified broader impacts, outcome-related productivity gains and ecological externalities were most commonly accounted for. No studies captured behaviour-related productivity gains or macroeconomic effects. There was some evidence to show that vaccinated children 8-14 years of age benefit from increased cognitive ability. Productivity loss due to morbidity and mortality was generally measured using the human capital approach. When included, herd immunity effects were functions of coverage rates or based on reduction in disease outcomes. External effects of vaccines were observed in terms of equitable health outcomes and contribution towards synergistic and financially sustainable healthcare programs. Despite substantial variation in the methods of measurement and outcomes used, the inclusion of broader economic impact was found to improve the attractiveness of vaccination. Further research is needed on how different tools and techniques can be used in combination to capture the broader impact of vaccination in a way that is consistent with other health economic evaluations. In addition, more country level evidence is needed from low and middle income countries to justify future investments in vaccines and immunization programs. Finally, the proposed broader economic impact framework may contribute towards better communication of the economic arguments surrounding vaccine uptake, leading to investments in immunization by stakeholders outside of the traditional health care sector such as ministries of finance and national treasuries.

Systematic review of studies evaluating the broader economic impact of vaccination in low and middle income countries

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Most health economic evaluations of childhood vaccination only capture the health and short-term economic benefits. Measuring broader, long-term effects of vaccination on productivity and externalities could provide a more complete picture of the value of vaccines. Method MEDLINE, EconLit and NHS-EED databases were searched for articles published between January 1990 and July 2011, which captured broader economic benefits of vaccines in low and middle income countries. Studies were included if they captured at least one of the following categories on broader economic impact: outcome-related productivity gains, behaviour-related productivity gains, ecological externalities, equity gains, financial sustainability gains or macroeconomic benefits. Results Twenty-six relevant studies were found, including observational studies, economic models and contingent valuation studies. Of the identified broader impacts, outcome-related productivity gains and ecological externalities were most commonly accounted for. No studies captured behaviour-related productivity gains or macroeconomic effects. There was some evidence to show that vaccinated children 8–14 years of age benefit from increased cognitive ability. Productivity loss due to morbidity and mortality was generally measured using the human capital approach. When included, herd immunity effects were functions of coverage rates or based on reduction in disease outcomes. External effects of vaccines were observed in terms of equitable health outcomes and contribution towards synergistic and financially sustainable healthcare programs. Conclusion Despite substantial variation in the methods of measurement and outcomes used, the inclusion of broader economic impact was found to improve the attractiveness of vaccination. Further research is needed on how different tools and techniques can be used in combination to capture the broader impact of vaccination in a way that is consistent with other health economic evaluations. In addition, more country level evidence is needed from low and middle income countries to justify future investments in vaccines and immunization programs. Finally, the proposed broader economic impact framework may contribute towards better communication of the economic arguments surrounding vaccine uptake, leading to investments in immunization by stakeholders outside of the traditional health care sector such as ministries of finance and national treasuries. PMID:23072714

Cost-effectiveness analysis comparing epidural, patient-controlled intravenous morphine, and continuous wound infiltration for postoperative pain management after open abdominal surgery.

PubMed

Tilleul, P; Aissou, M; Bocquet, F; Thiriat, N; le Grelle, O; Burke, M J; Hutton, J; Beaussier, M

2012-06-01

Continuous wound infiltration (CWI), i.v. patient-controlled analgesia (i.v.-PCA), and epidural analgesia (EDA) are analgesic techniques commonly used for pain relief after open abdominal surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these techniques. A decision analytic model was developed, including values retrieved from clinical trials and from an observational prospective cohort of 85 patients. Efficacy criteria were based on pain at rest (VAS ≤ 30/100 mm at 24 h). Resource use and costs were evaluated from medical record measurements and published data. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) was performed. When taking into account all resources consumed, the CWI arm (€ 6460) is economically dominant when compared with i.v.-PCA (€ 7273) and EDA (€ 7500). The proportion of patients successfully controlled for their postoperative pain management are 77.4%, 53.9%, and 72.9% for CWI, i.v.-PCA, and EDA, respectively, demonstrating the CWI procedure to be both economically and clinically dominant. PSA reported that CWI remains cost saving in 70.4% of cases in comparison with EDA and in 59.2% of cases when compared with PCA. Device-related costs of using CWI for pain management after abdominal laparotomy are partly counterbalanced by a reduction in resource consumption. The cost-effectiveness analysis suggests that CWI is the dominant treatment strategy for managing postoperative pain (i.e. more effective and less costly) in comparison with i.v.-PCA. When compared with EDA, CWI is less costly with almost equivalent efficacy. This economic evaluation may be useful for clinicians to design algorithms for pain management after major abdominal surgery.

Low Velocity Impact Damage to Carbon/Epoxy Laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nettles, Alan T.

2011-01-01

Impact damage tends to be more detrimental to a laminate's compression strength as compared to tensile strength. Proper use of Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) Techniques can remove conservatism (weight) from many structures. Test largest components economically feasible as coupons. If damage tolerance is a driver, then consider different resin systems. Do not use a single knockdown factor to account for damage.

Costing bias in economic evaluations.

PubMed

Frappier, Julie; Tremblay, Gabriel; Charny, Mark; Cloutier, L Martin

2015-01-01

Determining the cost-effectiveness of healthcare interventions is key to the decision-making process in healthcare. Cost comparisons are used to demonstrate the economic value of treatment options, to evaluate the impact on the insurer budget, and are often used as a key criterion in treatment comparison and comparative effectiveness; however, little guidance is available to researchers for establishing the costing of clinical events and resource utilization. Different costing methods exist, and the choice of underlying assumptions appears to have a significant impact on the results of the costing analysis. This editorial describes the importance of the choice of the costing technique and it's potential impact on the relative cost of treatment options. This editorial also calls for a more efficient approach to healthcare intervention costing in order to ensure the use of consistent costing in the decision-making process.

Systematic Review of Economic Models Used to Compare Techniques for Detecting Peripheral Arterial Disease.

PubMed

Moloney, Eoin; O'Connor, Joanne; Craig, Dawn; Robalino, Shannon; Chrysos, Alexandros; Javanbakht, Mehdi; Sims, Andrew; Stansby, Gerard; Wilkes, Scott; Allen, John

2018-04-23

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common condition, in which atherosclerotic narrowing in the arteries restricts blood supply to the leg muscles. In order to support future model-based economic evaluations comparing methods of diagnosis in this area, a systematic review of economic modelling studies was conducted. A systematic literature review was performed in June 2017 to identify model-based economic evaluations of diagnostic tests to detect PAD, with six individual databases searched. The review was conducted in accordance with the methods outlined in the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination's guidance for undertaking reviews in healthcare, and appropriate inclusion criteria were applied. Relevant data were extracted, and studies were quality assessed. Seven studies were included in the final review, all of which were published between 1995 and 2014. There was wide variation in the types of diagnostic test compared. The majority of the studies (six of seven) referenced the sources used to develop their model, and all studies stated and justified the structural assumptions. Reporting of the data within the included studies could have been improved. Only one identified study focused on the cost-effectiveness of a test typically used in primary care. This review brings together all applied modelling methods for tests used in the diagnosis of PAD, which could be used to support future model-based economic evaluations in this field. The limited modelling work available on tests typically used for the detection of PAD in primary care, in particular, highlights the importance of future work in this area.

The application of remote sensing techniques to selected inter and intra urban data acquisition problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horton, F. E.

1970-01-01

The utility of remote sensing techniques to urban data acquisition problems in several distinct areas was identified. This endeavor included a comparison of remote sensing systems for urban data collection, the extraction of housing quality data from aerial photography, utilization of photographic sensors in urban transportation studies, urban change detection, space photography utilization, and an application of remote sensing techniques to the acquisition of data concerning intra-urban commercial centers. The systematic evaluation of variable extraction for urban modeling and planning at several different scales, and the model derivation for identifying and predicting economic growth and change within a regional system of cities are also studied.

[Macro-economic calculation of spending versus micro-economic follow-up of costs of breast cancer].

PubMed

Borella, L; Paraponaris, A

2002-12-01

In the healthcare field, the ability to make economic forecasts requires knowledge of the costs of caring for major diseases. In the case of a semi-chronic condition like cancer, this cost covers all the episodes of care associated with a patient. An evaluation of a macro-economic method of calculating costs for treating non-metastatic cancer, covering all hospital episodes, is proposed. This method is based entirely on the use of annual hospital activity databases, linked to data concerning the incidence of cancer. It allows us to obtain the global cost of care for a neoplasm of a particular site, without the need to reconstruct the whole care pathway of the patients. The model was assessed by comparing it's own results, in the particular case of breast cancer to those issuing from a micro-economic follow-up of 115 patients. Data for macro-economic calculation are extracted from the national French hospital database for the year 1999 and from cancer incidence data. The prospective study was done in 1995, in a comprehensive cancer centre. Macro-economic calculation leads to a cost of 14,555 Euro, for primary breast cancer. Prospective follow-up showed a cost of 14,350 Euro (data corrected, 1999 value). With a difference of 1%, there was a clear cohesion of the two results, while a higher level of divergence was noticed (from 1 to 15%) in the comparison between therapeutic techniques. Accuracy and reliability of results were evaluated. This method may be extended to all types of neoplasms. This method cannot be used instead of follow-up studies, for cost-efficacy or cost-severity analysis, but may be interesting beyond economic forecasts, in the field of payment per pathology.

Mathematical Methods of Managing Economic Sustainability of the Construction Company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostuchenko, Vasiliy; Zdanov, Andrej; Rodionov, Anatolij

2017-10-01

This article presents a long-term research in developing innovative mathematical techniques of managing the contractor’s economic sustainability proven by some experimental studies. The article aims at presenting some practical results of applying these techniques to the scientific community. This research presents a description of some applied mathematical models, views, and some results of their practical application in the applied field for the purposes of evaluating operational sustainability and minimizing losses in the process of managing the company. The authors have put the technology they have developed to practical use, and the article presents the results of such application. The authors have put the developed technology to practical use. Company management also means the management of power consumption, which is highly vital both for the construction and maintenance of buildings and structures. The articles also dwell on some possible improvements of managing energy consumption within the framework of the general management of company’s economic sustainability, because these phenomena have a tight organic interdependence. The authors continue researching this direction in order to improve the production efficiency of the proposed technologies as well as to eliminate some drawbacks they have spotted.

Multicriteria analysis as a tool to investigate compatibility between conservation and development on Salina Island, Aeolian Archipelago, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodini, Antonio; Giavelli, Giovanni

1992-09-01

Several multicriteria evaluation techniques have been developed since the 1970s. The need to compare different territorial policies has justified their introduction into environmental research. These methods are based on the numerical manipulation of heterogeneous information, which varies in terms of reference scale and type of measure (continuous, ordinal, qualitative, binary, etc.). During recent years, diverse investigations have focused on general conditions on Salina, the “green island” of the Aeolian archipelago. Such studies, within an interdisciplinary project, aimed to explore the possibility of implementing conservation strategies that are compatible with human needs, landscape preservation, and sustainable economic development. Three different evaluation techniques are applied, namely multicriteria weighted concordance and discordance analysis and a qualitative procedure. They are used to compare four alternative plans for the socioeconomic development of Salina Island. These plans lie between extreme alternatives: total protection of natural resources and maximizing economic development based on tourism. The plans are compared to each other on the basis of 14 criteria that reflect the socioenvironmental perception of Salina's inhabitants. The approach used in this research seems particularly fruitful because of its flexibility: it offers decision makers the chance to manage heterogeneous data and information that is not easily quantifiable. Such “soft” information helps to evaluate environmental conditions more precisely, and to make a less damaging choice among alternative development plans.

Assessing sustainability in real urban systems: the Greater Cincinnati Metropolitan Area in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Mejía, Alejandra M; Eason, Tarsha N; Cabezas, Heriberto; Suidan, Makram T

2012-09-04

Urban systems have a number of factors (i.e., economic, social, and environmental) that can potentially impact growth, change, and transition. As such, assessing and managing these systems is a complex challenge. While, tracking trends of key variables may provide some insight, identifying the critical characteristics that truly impact the dynamic behavior of these systems is difficult. As an integrated approach to evaluate real urban systems, this work contributes to the research on scientific techniques for assessing sustainability. Specifically, it proposes a practical methodology based on the estimation of dynamic order, for identifying stable and unstable periods of sustainable or unsustainable trends with Fisher Information (FI) metric. As a test case, the dynamic behavior of the City, Suburbs, and Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) of Cincinnati was evaluated by using 29 social and 11 economic variables to characterize each system from 1970 to 2009. Air quality variables were also selected to describe the MSA's environmental component (1980-2009). Results indicate systems dynamic started to change from about 1995 for the social variables and about 2000 for the economic and environmental characteristics.

Techniques for debris control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petro, Andrew J.

1990-01-01

This paper will summarize a range of techniques which have been proposed for controlling the growth of man-made debris in earth orbit. Several techniques developed in studies at the Johnson Space Center will be described in detail. These techniques include the retrieval of inoperative satellites with an orbital maneuvering vehicle and self-disposal devices for satellites and upper stages. Self-disposal devices include propulsive deorbit motors and passive drag-augmentation devices. Concepts for sweeping small debris from the orbital environment will also be described. An evaluation of the technical feasibility and economic practicality of the various control methods will be summarized. In general, methods which prevent the accumulation of large debris objects were found to provide greater promise for control of the debris problem than methods of removing small debris particles.

A proposed model for economic evaluations of major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Haji Ali Afzali, Hossein; Karnon, Jonathan; Gray, Jodi

2012-08-01

In countries like UK and Australia, the comparability of model-based analyses is an essential aspect of reimbursement decisions for new pharmaceuticals, medical services and technologies. Within disease areas, the use of models with alternative structures, type of modelling techniques and/or data sources for common parameters reduces the comparability of evaluations of alternative technologies for the same condition. The aim of this paper is to propose a decision analytic model to evaluate long-term costs and benefits of alternative management options in patients with depression. The structure of the proposed model is based on the natural history of depression and includes clinical events that are important from both clinical and economic perspectives. Considering its greater flexibility with respect to handling time, discrete event simulation (DES) is an appropriate simulation platform for modelling studies of depression. We argue that the proposed model can be used as a reference model in model-based studies of depression improving the quality and comparability of studies.

Thirst-dependent risk preferences in monkeys identify a primitive form of wealth

PubMed Central

Yamada, Hiroshi; Tymula, Agnieszka; Louie, Kenway; Glimcher, Paul W.

2013-01-01

Experimental economic techniques have been widely used to evaluate human risk attitudes, but how these measured attitudes relate to overall individual wealth levels is unclear. Previous noneconomic work has addressed this uncertainty in animals by asking the following: (i) Do our close evolutionary relatives share both our risk attitudes and our degree of economic rationality? And (ii) how does the amount of food or water one holds (a nonpecuniary form of “wealth”) alter risk attitudes in these choosers? Unfortunately, existing noneconomic studies have provided conflicting insights from an economic point of view. We therefore used standard techniques from human experimental economics to measure monkey risk attitudes for water rewards as a function of blood osmolality (an objective measure of how much water the subjects possess). Early in training, monkeys behaved randomly, consistently violating first-order stochastic dominance and monotonicity. After training, they behaved like human choosers—technically consistent in their choices and weakly risk averse (i.e., risk averse or risk neutral on average)—suggesting that well-trained monkeys can serve as a model for human choice behavior. As with attitudes about money in humans, these risk attitudes were strongly wealth dependent; as the animals became “poorer,” risk aversion increased, a finding incompatible with some models of wealth and risk in human decision making. PMID:24019461

Applications guide for waste heat recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moynihan, P. I.

1983-01-01

The state-of-the-art of commercially available organic Rankine cycle (ORC) hardware from a literature search and industry survey is assessed. Engineering criteria for applying ORC technology are established, and a set of nomograms to enable the rapid sizing of the equipment is presented. A comparison of an ORC system with conventional heat recovery techniques can be made with a nomogram developed for a recuperative heat exchanger. A graphical technique for evaluating the economic aspects of an ORC system and conventional heat recovery method is discussed: also included is a description of anticipated future trends in organic Rankine cycle R&D.

Sampling methods for microbiological analysis of red meat and poultry carcasses.

PubMed

Capita, Rosa; Prieto, Miguel; Alonso-Calleja, Carlos

2004-06-01

Microbiological analysis of carcasses at slaughterhouses is required in the European Union for evaluating the hygienic performance of carcass production processes as required for effective hazard analysis critical control point implementation. The European Union microbial performance standards refer exclusively to the excision method, even though swabbing using the wet/dry technique is also permitted when correlation between both destructive and nondestructive methods can be established. For practical and economic reasons, the swab technique is the most extensively used carcass surface-sampling method. The main characteristics, advantages, and limitations of the common excision and swabbing methods are described here.

Research on the development of green chemistry technology assessment techniques: a material reutilization case.

PubMed

Hong, Seokpyo; Ahn, Kilsoo; Kim, Sungjune; Gong, Sungyong

2015-01-01

This study presents a methodology that enables a quantitative assessment of green chemistry technologies. The study carries out a quantitative evaluation of a particular case of material reutilization by calculating the level of "greenness" i.e., the level of compliance with the principles of green chemistry that was achieved by implementing a green chemistry technology. The results indicate that the greenness level was enhanced by 42% compared to the pre-improvement level, thus demonstrating the economic feasibility of green chemistry. The assessment technique established in this study will serve as a useful reference for setting the direction of industry-level and government-level technological R&D and for evaluating newly developed technologies, which can greatly contribute toward gaining a competitive advantage in the global market.

Comparative analysis of economic models in selected solar energy computer programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, J. W.; Barnes, K. A.

1982-01-01

The economic evaluation models in five computer programs widely used for analyzing solar energy systems (F-CHART 3.0, F-CHART 4.0, SOLCOST, BLAST, and DOE-2) are compared. Differences in analysis techniques and assumptions among the programs are assessed from the point of view of consistency with the Federal requirements for life cycle costing (10 CFR Part 436), effect on predicted economic performance, and optimal system size, case of use, and general applicability to diverse systems types and building types. The FEDSOL program developed by the National Bureau of Standards specifically to meet the Federal life cycle cost requirements serves as a basis for the comparison. Results of the study are illustrated in test cases of two different types of Federally owned buildings: a single family residence and a low rise office building.

[Construction and realization of real world integrated data warehouse from HIS on re-evaluation of post-maketing traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Zhuang, Yan; Xie, Bangtie; Weng, Shengxin; Xie, Yanming

2011-10-01

To construct real world integrated data warehouse on re-evaluation of post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine for the research on key techniques of clinic re-evaluation which mainly includes indication of traditional Chinese medicine, dosage usage, course of treatment, unit medication, combined disease and adverse reaction, which provides data for reviewed research on its safety,availability and economy,and provides foundation for perspective research. The integrated data warehouse extracts and integrate data from HIS by information collection system and data warehouse technique and forms standard structure and data. The further research is on process based on the data. A data warehouse and several sub data warehouses were built, which focused on patients' main records, doctor orders, diseases diagnoses, laboratory results and economic indications in hospital. These data warehouses can provide research data for re-evaluation of post-marketing traditional Chinese medicine, and it has clinical value. Besides, it points out the direction for further research.

Systematic Review of Economic Evaluation of Laparotomy versus Laparoscopy for Patients Submitted to Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

PubMed Central

Sussenbach, Samanta Pereira; Silva, Everton Nunes; Pufal, Milene Amarante; Casagrande, Daniela Shan; Padoin, Alexandre Vontobel; Mottin, Cláudio Corá

2014-01-01

Background Because of the high prevalence of obesity, there is a growing demand for bariatric surgery worldwide. The objective of this systematic review was to analyze the difference in relation to cost-effectiveness of access route by laparoscopy versus laparotomy of Roux en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Methods A systematic review was conducted in the electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane and Lilacs in order to identify economic evaluation studies that compare the cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic and laparotomic routes in RYGB. Results In a total of 494 articles, only 6 fulfilled the eligibility criteria. All studies were published between 2001 and 2008 in the United States (USA). Three studies fulfilled less than half of the items that evaluated the results quality; two satisfied 5 of the required items, and only 1 study fulfilled 7 of 10 items. The economic evaluation of studies alternated between cost-effectiveness and cost-consequence. Five studies considered the surgery by laparoscopy the dominant strategy, because it showed greater clinical benefit (less probability of post-surgical complications, less hospitalization time) and lower total cost. Conclusion This review indicates that laparoscopy is a safe and well-tolerated technique, despite the costs of surgery being higher when compared with laparotomy. However, the additional costs are compensated by the lower probability of complications after surgery and, consequently, avoiding their costs. PMID:24945704

Assessment of transparency of cost estimates in economic evaluations of patient safety programmes.

PubMed

Fukuda, Haruhisa; Imanaka, Yuichi

2009-06-01

Transparency of costing is essential for decision-makers who require information on the efficiency of a health care programme, because effective decisions depend largely on applicability to their settings. The main objectives of this study were to assess published studies for transparency of cost estimates. We first developed criteria with two axes by reviewing publications dealing with economic evaluations and cost accounting studies: clarification of the scope of costing and accuracy of method evaluating costs. We then performed systematic searches of the literature for studies which estimated prevention costs and assessed the transparency and accuracy of costing based on our criteria. Forty studies met the inclusion criteria. Half of the studies reported data for both the quantity and unit price of programmes in regard to prevention costs. Although 30 studies estimated costs of adverse events, 19 of these described the scope of costing only, and just five studies used a micro-costing method. Among 30 studies that estimated 'gross cost savings' and 'net cost savings', there was a huge discrepancy in labels. Even if a cost study was conducted in accordance with existing techniques of economic evaluation which mostly paid attention to internal validity of cost estimates, without adequate explanation of the process of costing, reproducibility cannot be assured and the study may lose its value as scientific information. This study found that there is tremendous room for improvement.

Thermo Dynamics and Economics Evaluations: Substitution of the Extraction Steam with the Wasted Heat of Flue Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Lifen; Qiu, Lixia; Li, Jinping; Li, Dongxiong

2018-01-01

A new heat supplying system is proposed that utilizes the exhausted gas of the boiler to substitute the extraction steam from the turbine as the driving force for the adsorption heat pump regarding the recovery of the condensation heat of power plant. However, our system is not subject to the low efficiency of wasted heat utilization due to the low temperature of flue gas, which hence possesses higher performance in COP factors in the utilization of heat than that of the conventional techniques of using flues gas, so the amount of extracted gas from turbine can be reduced and the power generate rate be enhanced. Subsequently, detailed evaluation of the performance of this system in the point of views of thermodynamics and economics are presented in this work. For the instance of a 330 MW heat supply unit, 5 sample cities are chosen to demonstrate and confirm our economic analysis. It is revealed that when the heating coefficient of the heat pump is 1.8, the investment payback periods for these 5 cities are within the range of 2.4 to 4.8 years, which are far below the service year of the heat pump, demonstrating remarkable economic benefits for our system.

Did we get our money's worth? Bridging economic and behavioral measures of program success in adolescent drug prevention.

PubMed

Griffith, Kevin N; Scheier, Lawrence M

2013-11-08

The recent U.S. Congressional mandate for creating drug-free learning environments in elementary and secondary schools stipulates that education reform rely on accountability, parental and community involvement, local decision making, and use of evidence-based drug prevention programs. By necessity, this charge has been paralleled by increased interest in demonstrating that drug prevention programs net tangible benefits to society. One pressing concern is precisely how to integrate traditional scientific methods of program evaluation with economic measures of "cost efficiency". The languages and methods of each respective discipline don't necessarily converge on how to establish the true benefits of drug prevention. This article serves as a primer for conducting economic analyses of school-based drug prevention programs. The article provides the reader with a foundation in the relevant principles, methodologies, and benefits related to conducting economic analysis. Discussion revolves around how economists value the potential costs and benefits, both financial and personal, from implementing school-based drug prevention programs targeting youth. Application of heterogeneous costing methods coupled with widely divergent program evaluation findings influences the feasibility of these techniques and may hinder utilization of these practices. Determination of cost-efficiency should undoubtedly become one of several markers of program success and contribute to the ongoing debate over health policy.

Gaming via Computer Simulation Techniques for Junior College Economics Education. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Fred A.

A study designed to answer the need for more attractive and effective economics education involved the teaching of one junior college economics class by the conventional (lecture) method and an experimental class by computer simulation techniques. Econometric models approximating the "real world" were computer programed to enable the experimental…

Comparative evaluation of surface and downhole steam-generation techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, C.

The application of heat to reservoirs containing high API gravity oils can substantially improve recovery. Although steam injection is currently the principal thermal recovery method, heat transmission losses associated with delivery of the steam from the surface generators to the oil bearing formation has limited conventional steam injection to shallow reservoirs. The objective of the Department of Energy's Project DEEP STEAM is to develop the technology required to economically produce heavy oil from deep reservoirs. The tasks included in this effort are the development and evaluation of thermally efficient delivery systems and downhole steam generation systems. The technical and economic performance of conventional surface steam drives, which are strongly influenced by heat losses are compared. The selection of a preferred technology based upon either total efficiency or cost is found to be strongly influenced by reservoir depth, steam mass flow rate, and sandface steam quality.

Lessons from trial-based cost-effectiveness analyses of mental health interventions: why uncertainty about the outcome, estimate and willingness to pay matters.

PubMed

Hoch, Jeffrey S; Dewa, Carolyn S

2007-01-01

The principal aim of this article is to share lessons learned by the authors while conducting economic evaluations, using clinical trial data, of mental health interventions. These lessons are quite general and have clear relevance for pharmacoeconomic studies. In addition, we explore how net benefit regression can be used to enhance consideration of key issues when conducting an economic evaluation based on clinical trial data. The first study we discuss found that cost-effectiveness results varied markedly based on the choice of both the patient outcome and the willingness to pay for more of that outcome. The importance of willingness to pay was also highlighted in the results from the second study. Even with a set willingness-to-pay value, most of the time the probability that the new treatment was cost effective was not 100%. In the third study, the cost effectiveness of the new treatment varied by patient characteristics. These observations have important implications for pharmacoeconomic studies. Namely, analysts must carefully consider choice of patient outcome, willingness to pay, patient heterogeneity and the statistical uncertainty inherent in the data. Net benefit regression is a useful technique for exploring these crucial issues when undertaking an economic evaluation using patient-level data on both costs and effects.

Evaluation of modified Dennis parasitological technique for diagnosis of bovine fascioliasis.

PubMed

Correa, Stefanya; Martínez, Yudy Liceth; López, Jessika Lissethe; Velásquez, Luz Elena

2016-02-23

Bovine fascioliasis causes important economic losses, estimated at COP$ 12,483 billion per year; its prevalence is 25% in dairy cattle. Parasitological techniques are required for it diagnosis. The Dennis technique, modified in 2002, is the one used in Colombia, but its sensitivity, specificity and validity are not known.  To evaluate the validity and performance of the modified Dennis technique for diagnosis of bovine fascioliasis using as reference test the observation of parasites in the liver.  We conducted a diagnostic evaluation study. We selected a convenience sample of discarded bovines sacrificed between March and June, 2013, in Frigocolanta for the study. We collected 25 g of feces from each animal and their liver and bile ducts were examined for Fasciola hepatica. The sensitivity, specificity, predictive positive value, predictive negative value, and validity index were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. The post-mortem evaluation was used as the gold standard.  We analyzed 180 bovines. The sensitivity and specificity of the modified Dennis technique were 73.2% (95% CI=58.4% - 87.9%) and 84.2% (95% CI= 77.7% - 90.6%), respectively. The positive predictive value was 57.7% (95% CI= 43.3% - 72.1%) and the negative one 91.4% (95% CI= 86.2% - 96.6%). The prevalence of bovine fascioliasis was 22.8% (95% CI= 16.4% - 29.2%).  The validity and the performance of the modified Dennis technique were higher than those of the traditional one, which makes it a good screening test for diagnosing fascioliasis for population and prevalence studies and during animal health campaigns.

How economics can further the success of ecological restoration.

PubMed

Iftekhar, Md Sayed; Polyakov, Maksym; Ansell, Dean; Gibson, Fiona; Kay, Geoffrey M

2017-04-01

Restoration scientists and practitioners have recently begun to include economic and social aspects in the design and investment decisions for restoration projects. With few exceptions, ecological restoration studies that include economics focus solely on evaluating costs of restoration projects. However, economic principles, tools, and instruments can be applied to a range of other factors that affect project success. We considered the relevance of applying economics to address 4 key challenges of ecological restoration: assessing social and economic benefits, estimating overall costs, project prioritization and selection, and long-term financing of restoration programs. We found it is uncommon to consider all types of benefits (such as nonmarket values) and costs (such as transaction costs) in restoration programs. Total benefit of a restoration project can be estimated using market prices and various nonmarket valuation techniques. Total cost of a project can be estimated using methods based on property or land-sale prices, such as hedonic pricing method and organizational surveys. Securing continuous (or long-term) funding is also vital to accomplishing restoration goals and can be achieved by establishing synergy with existing programs, public-private partnerships, and financing through taxation. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Underground Mining Method Selection Using WPM and PROMETHEE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balusa, Bhanu Chander; Singam, Jayanthu

2018-04-01

The aim of this paper is to represent the solution to the problem of selecting suitable underground mining method for the mining industry. It is achieved by using two multi-attribute decision making techniques. These two techniques are weighted product method (WPM) and preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE). In this paper, analytic hierarchy process is used for weight's calculation of the attributes (i.e. parameters which are used in this paper). Mining method selection depends on physical parameters, mechanical parameters, economical parameters and technical parameters. WPM and PROMETHEE techniques have the ability to consider the relationship between the parameters and mining methods. The proposed techniques give higher accuracy and faster computation capability when compared with other decision making techniques. The proposed techniques are presented to determine the effective mining method for bauxite mine. The results of these techniques are compared with methods used in the earlier research works. The results show, conventional cut and fill method is the most suitable mining method.

A comparison of methods for converting DCE values onto the full health-dead QALY scale.

PubMed

Rowen, Donna; Brazier, John; Van Hout, Ben

2015-04-01

Preference elicitation techniques such as time trade-off (TTO) and standard gamble (SG) receive criticism for their complexity and difficulties of use. Ordinal techniques such as discrete choice experiment (DCE) are arguably easier to understand but generate values that are not anchored onto the full health-dead 1-0 quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) scale required for use in economic evaluation. This article compares existing methods for converting modeled DCE latent values onto the full health-dead QALY scale: 1) anchoring DCE values using dead as valued in the DCE and 2) anchoring DCE values using TTO value for worst state to 2 new methods: 3) mapping DCE values onto TTO and 4) combining DCE and TTO data in a hybrid model. Models are compared using their ability to predict mean TTO health state values. We use postal DCE data (n = 263) and TTO data (n = 307) collected by interview in a general population valuation study of an asthma condition-specific measure (AQL-5D). New methods 3 and 4 using mapping and hybrid models are better able to predict mean TTO health state values (mean absolute difference [MAD], 0.052-0.084) than the anchor-based methods (MAD, 0.075-0.093) and were better able to predict mean TTO health state values even when using in their estimation a subsample of the available TTO data. These new mapping and hybrid methods have a potentially useful role for producing values on the QALY scale from data elicited using ordinal techniques such as DCE for use in economic evaluation that makes best use of the desirable properties of each elicitation technique and elicited data. Further research is encouraged. © The Author(s) 2014.

Higher cost of single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to longer operating time. A study of opportunity cost based on meta-analysis

PubMed Central

GIRABENT-FARRÉS, M.

2018-01-01

Background We aimed to calculate the opportunity cost of the operating time to demonstrate that single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) is more expensive than classic laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC). Methods We identified studies comparing use of both techniques during the period 2008–2016, and to calculate the opportunity cost, we performed another search in the same period of time with an economic evaluation of classic laparoscopy. We performed a meta-analysis of the items selected in the first review considering the cost of surgery and surgical time, and we analyzed their differences. We subsequently calculated the opportunity cost of these time differences based on the design of a cost/time variable using the data from the second literature review. Results Twenty-seven articles were selected from the first review: 26 for operating time (3.138 patients) and 3 for the cost of surgery (831 patients), and 3 articles from the second review. Both techniques have similar operating costs. Single incision laparoscopy surgery takes longer (16.90min) to perform (p <0.00001) and this difference represents an opportunity cost of 755.97 € (cost/time unit factor of 44.73 €/min). Conclusions SILC costs the same as CLC, but the surgery takes longer to perform, and this difference involves an opportunity cost that increases the total cost of SILC. The value of the opportunity cost of the operating time can vary the total cost of a surgical technique and it should be included in the economic evaluation to support the decision to adopt a new surgical technique. PMID:29549678

Feasibility Study of a Satellite Solar Power Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaser, P. E.; Maynard, O. E.; Mackovciak, J. J. R.; Ralph, E. I.

1974-01-01

A feasibility study of a satellite solar power station (SSPS) was conducted to: (1) explore how an SSPS could be flown and controlled in orbit; (2) determine the techniques needed to avoid radio frequency interference (RFI); and (3) determine the key environmental, technological, and economic issues involved. Structural and dynamic analyses of the SSPS structure were performed, and deflections and internal member loads were determined. Desirable material characteristics were assessed and technology developments identified. Flight control performance of the SSPS baseline design was evaluated and parametric sizing studies were performed. The study of RFI avoidance techniques covered (1) optimization of the microwave transmission system; (2) device design and expected RFI; and (3) SSPS RFI effects. The identification of key issues involved (1) microwave generation, transmissions, and rectification and solar energy conversion; (2) environmental-ecological impact and biological effects; and (3) economic issues, i.e., costs and benefits associated with the SSPS. The feasibility of the SSPS based on the parameters of the study was established.

Micro-costing studies in the health and medical literature: protocol for a systematic review

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Micro-costing is a cost estimation method that allows for precise assessment of the economic costs of health interventions. It has been demonstrated to be particularly useful for estimating the costs of new interventions, for interventions with large variability across providers, and for estimating the true costs to the health system and to society. However, existing guidelines for economic evaluations do not provide sufficient detail of the methods and techniques to use when conducting micro-costing analyses. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review the current literature on micro-costing studies of health and medical interventions, strategies, and programs to assess the variation in micro-costing methodology and the quality of existing studies. This will inform current practice in conducting and reporting micro-costing studies and lead to greater standardization in methodology in the future. Methods/Design We will perform a systematic review of the current literature on micro-costing studies of health and medical interventions, strategies, and programs. Using rigorously designed search strategies, we will search Ovid MEDLINE, EconLit, BIOSIS Previews, Embase, Scopus, and the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED) to identify relevant English-language articles. These searches will be supplemented by a review of the references of relevant articles identified. Two members of the review team will independently extract detailed information on the design and characteristics of each included article using a standardized data collection form. A third reviewer will be consulted to resolve discrepancies. We will use checklists that have been developed for critical appraisal of health economics studies to evaluate the quality and potential risk of bias of included studies. Discussion This systematic review will provide useful information to help standardize the methods and techniques for conducting and reporting micro-costing studies in research, which can improve the quality and transparency of future studies and enhance comparability and interpretation of findings. In the long run, these efforts will facilitate clinical and health policy decision-making about resource allocation. Trial registration Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42014007453. PMID:24887208

An Analysis of the Role of Social Safety Net Scholarships in Reducing School Drop-Out during the Indonesian Economic Crisis. Innocenti Working Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron, Lisa A.

This paper uses regression and matching techniques to evaluate Indonesia's Social Safety Net Scholarships Programme. The scholarships program was developed to try to prevent large numbers of children from dropping out of school as a result of the Asian financial crisis. The expectation was that many families would find it difficult to keep their…

Graphic analysis of resources by numerical evaluation techniques (Garnet)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, A.C.

1977-01-01

An interactive computer program for graphical analysis has been developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. The program embodies five goals, (1) economical use of computer resources, (2) simplicity for user applications, (3) interactive on-line use, (4) minimal core requirements, and (5) portability. It is designed to aid (1) the rapid analysis of point-located data, (2) structural mapping, and (3) estimation of area resources. ?? 1977.

Analysis and Evaluation of Processes and Equipment in Tasks 2 and 4 of the Low-cost Solar Array Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldman, H.; Wolf, M.

1978-01-01

The significant economic data for the current production multiblade wafering and inner diameter slicing processes were tabulated and compared to data on the experimental and projected multiblade slurry, STC ID diamond coated blade, multiwire slurry and crystal systems fixed abrasive multiwire slicing methods. Cost calculations were performed for current production processes and for 1982 and 1986 projected wafering techniques.

Impacts of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) development on recreation and tourism. Volume 1. Executive summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The study was intended to provide the Mineral Management Service (MMS) with an analytical tool to evaluate possible economic impacts from Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) development. In particular, the study was designed to provide MMS staff who work on lease sale Energy Impact Statements with an objective technique for estimating the impacts to coastal communities from events that might occur as a result of lease sales: oil spills, onshore construction, and construction of platforms offshore. The project had several specific objectives: (1) provide profiles of 1982 socio-economic conditions in coastal communities, including an analysis of the relative importance of themore » tourist industry in each coastal county; (2) develop a methodology for determining the effects of OCS development on coastal recreation; and recommend mitigation measure that may reduce the negative effect of OCS development on coastal recreation using gravity and economic effects models.« less

Economic analysis of ALK testing and crizotinib therapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Lu, Shun; Zhang, Jie; Ye, Ming; Wang, Baoai; Wu, Bin

2016-06-01

The economic outcome of crizotinib in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer harboring anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement would be investigated. Based on a mathematical model, the economic outcome of three techniques for testing ALK gene rearrangement combing with crizotinib would be evaluated and compared with traditional regimen. The impact of the crizotinib patient assistance program (PAP) was assessed. Ventana immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and IHC testing plus fluorescent in situ hybridization confirmation for anaplastic lymphoma kinase testing following crizotinib treatment leaded to the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of US$16,820 and US$223,242, US$24,424 and US$223,271, and US$16,850 and US$254,668 per quality-adjusted life-year gained with and without PAP, respectively. Gene-guided crizotinib therapy might be a cost-effective alternative comparing with the traditional regimen in the PAP setting.

A comparative review of pharmacoeconomic guidelines.

PubMed

Jacobs, P; Bachynsky, J; Baladi, J F

1995-09-01

We have reviewed 4 international sets of guidelines for the economic evaluation of pharmaceutical products-those of the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, the Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment, the Ontario Ministry of Health, and the England and Wales Department of Health. Comparison of these guidelines reveals that there are a number of differences between them, including disparities in outcome selection, costs and perspectives. These observations were attributed to differences in study purpose, conceptual approach, measurement techniques and value judgements. Uniformity can be achieved only in conceptual approach and measurement technique. Guidelines should be flexible to accommodate differences in the study purposes and value judgements of the analysts.

Advances in Patellofemoral Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Strickland, Sabrina M; Bird, Mackenzie L; Christ, Alexander B

2018-06-01

To describe current indications, implants, economic benefits, comparison to TKA, and functional and patient-reported outcomes of patellofemoral arthroplasty. Modern onlay implants and improved patient selection have allowed for recent improvements in short- and long-term outcomes after patellofemoral joint replacement surgery. Patellofemoral arthroplasty has become an increasingly utilized technique for the successful treatment of isolated patellofemoral arthritis. Advances in patient selection, implant design, and surgical technique have resulted in improved performance and longevity of these implants. Although short- and mid-term data for modern patellofemoral arthroplasties appear promising, further long-term clinical studies are needed to evaluate how new designs and technologies will affect patient outcomes and long-term implant performance.

Differences in primary health care delivery to Australia’s Indigenous population: a template for use in economic evaluations

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Health economics is increasingly used to inform resource allocation decision-making, however, there is comparatively little evidence relevant to minority groups. In part, this is due to lack of cost and effectiveness data specific to these groups upon which economic evaluations can be based. Consequently, resource allocation decisions often rely on mainstream evidence which may not be representative, resulting in inequitable funding decisions. This paper describes a method to overcome this deficiency for Australia’s Indigenous population. A template has been developed which can adapt mainstream health intervention data to the Indigenous setting. Methods The ‘Indigenous Health Service Delivery Template’ has been constructed using mixed methods, which include literature review, stakeholder discussions and key informant interviews. The template quantifies the differences in intervention delivery between best practice primary health care for the Indigenous population via Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs), and mainstream general practitioner (GP) practices. Differences in costs and outcomes have been identified, measured and valued. This template can then be used to adapt mainstream health intervention data to allow its economic evaluation as if delivered from an ACCHS. Results The template indicates that more resources are required in the delivery of health interventions via ACCHSs, due to their comprehensive nature. As a result, the costs of such interventions are greater, however this is accompanied by greater benefits due to improved health service access. In the example case of the polypill intervention, 58% more costs were involved in delivery via ACCHSs, with 50% more benefits. Cost-effectiveness ratios were also altered accordingly. Conclusions The Indigenous Health Service Delivery Template reveals significant differences in the way health interventions are delivered from ACCHSs compared to mainstream GP practices. It is important that these differences are included in the conduct of economic evaluations to ensure results are relevant to Indigenous Australians. Similar techniques would be generalisable to other disadvantaged minority populations. This will allow resource allocation decision-makers access to economic evidence that more accurately represents the needs and context of disadvantaged groups, which is particularly important if addressing health inequities is a stated goal. PMID:22954136

Reliability and cost/worth evaluation of generating systems utilizing wind and solar energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagen

The utilization of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar energy for electric power supply has received considerable attention in recent years due to adverse environmental impacts and fuel cost escalation associated with conventional generation. At the present time, wind and/or solar energy sources are utilized to generate electric power in many applications. Wind and solar energy will become important sources for power generation in the future because of their environmental, social and economic benefits, together with public support and government incentives. The wind and sunlight are, however, unstable and variable energy sources, and behave far differently than conventional sources. Energy storage systems are, therefore, often required to smooth the fluctuating nature of the energy conversion system especially in small isolated applications. The research work presented in this thesis is focused on the development and application of reliability and economic benefits assessment associated with incorporating wind energy, solar energy and energy storage in power generating systems. A probabilistic approach using sequential Monte Carlo simulation was employed in this research and a number of analyses were conducted with regards to the adequacy and economic assessment of generation systems containing wind energy, solar energy and energy storage. The evaluation models and techniques incorporate risk index distributions and different operating strategies associated with diesel generation in small isolated systems. Deterministic and probabilistic techniques are combined in this thesis using a system well-being approach to provide useful adequacy indices for small isolated systems that include renewable energy and energy storage. The concepts presented and examples illustrated in this thesis will help power system planners and utility managers to assess the reliability and economic benefits of utilizing wind energy conversion systems, solar energy conversion systems and energy storage in electric power systems and provide useful input to the managerial decision process.

Analysis of the methods for assessing socio-economic development level of urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popova, Olga; Bogacheva, Elena

2017-01-01

The present paper provides a targeted analysis of current approaches (ratings) in the assessment of socio-economic development of urban areas. The survey focuses on identifying standardized methodologies to area assessment techniques formation that will result in developing the system of intelligent monitoring, dispatching, building management, scheduling and effective management of an administrative-territorial unit. This system is characterized by complex hierarchical structure, including tangible and intangible properties (parameters, attributes). Investigating the abovementioned methods should increase the administrative-territorial unit's attractiveness for investors and residence. The research aims at studying methods for evaluating socio-economic development level of the Russian Federation territories. Experimental and theoretical territory estimating methods were revealed. Complex analysis of the characteristics of the areas was carried out and evaluation parameters were determined. Integral indicators (resulting rating criteria values) as well as the overall rankings (parameters, characteristics) were analyzed. The inventory of the most widely used partial indicators (parameters, characteristics) of urban areas was revealed. The resulting criteria of rating values homogeneity were verified and confirmed by determining the root mean square deviation, i.e. divergence of indices. The principal shortcomings of assessment methodologies were revealed. The assessment methods with enhanced effectiveness and homogeneity were proposed.

Cost minimization analysis for combinations of sampling techniques in bronchoscopy of endobronchial lesions.

PubMed

Roth, Kjetil; Hardie, Jon Andrew; Andreassen, Alf Henrik; Leh, Friedemann; Eagan, Tomas Mikal Lind

2009-06-01

The choice of sampling techniques in bronchoscopy with sampling from a visible lesion will depend on the expected diagnostic yields and the costs of the sampling techniques. The aim of this study was to determine the most economical combination of sampling techniques when approaching endobronchial visible lesions. A cost minimization analysis was performed. All bronchoscopies from 2003 and 2004 at Haukeland university hospital, Bergen, Norway, were reviewed retrospectively for diagnostic yields. 162 patients with endobronchial disease were included. Potential sampling techniques used were biopsy, brushing, endobronchial needle aspiration (EBNA) and washings. Costs were estimated based on registration of equipment costs and personnel costs. Sensitivity analyses were performed to determine threshold values. The combination of biopsy, brushing and EBNA was the most economical strategy with an average cost of Euro 893 (95% CI: 657, 1336). The cost of brushing had to be below Euro 83 and it had to increase the diagnostic yield more than 2.2%, for biopsy and brushing to be more economical than biopsy alone. The combination of biopsy, brushing and EBNA was more economical than biopsy and brushing when the cost of EBNA was below Euro 205 and the increase in diagnostic yield was above 5.2%. In the current study setting, biopsy, brushing and EBNA was the most economical combination of sampling techniques for endobronchial visible lesions.

Evaluation of large area crop estimation techniques using LANDSAT and ground-derived data. [Missouri

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amis, M. L.; Lennington, R. K.; Martin, M. V.; Mcguire, W. G.; Shen, S. S. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

The results of the Domestic Crops and Land Cover Classification and Clustering study on large area crop estimation using LANDSAT and ground truth data are reported. The current crop area estimation approach of the Economics and Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture was evaluated in terms of the factors that are likely to influence the bias and variance of the estimator. Also, alternative procedures involving replacements for the clustering algorithm, the classifier, or the regression model used in the original U.S. Department of Agriculture procedures were investigated.

Detection of plum pox virus infection in selection plum trees using spectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angelova, Liliya; Stoev, Antoniy; Borisova, Ekaterina; Avramov, Latchezar

2016-01-01

Plum pox virus (PPV) is among the most studied viral diseases in the world in plants. It is considered to be one of the most devastating diseases of stone fruits in terms of agronomic impact and economic importance. Noninvasive, fast and reliable techniques are required for evaluation of the pathology in selection trees with economic impact. Such advanced tools for PPV detection could be optical techniques as light-induced fluorescence and diffuse reflectance spectroscopies. Specific regions in the electromagnetic spectra have been found to provide information about the physiological stress in plants, and consequently, diseased plants usually exhibit different spectral signature than non-stressed healthy plants in those specific ranges. In this study spectral reflectance and chlorophyll fluorescence were used for the identification of biotic stress caused by the pox virus on plum trees. The spectral responses of healthy and infected leaves from cultivars, which are widespread in Bulgaria were investigated. The two applied techniques revealed statistically significant differences between the spectral data of healthy plum leaves and those infected by PPV in the visible and near-infrared spectral ranges. Their application for biotic stress detection helps in monitoring diseases in plants using the different plant spectral properties in these spectral ranges. The strong relationship between the results indicates the applicability of diffuse reflectance and fluorescence techniques for conducting health condition assessments of vegetation and their importance for plant protection practices.

Bridging the gap: exploring the barriers to using economic evidence in healthcare decision making and strategies for improving uptake.

PubMed

Merlo, Gregory; Page, Katie; Ratcliffe, Julie; Halton, Kate; Graves, Nicholas

2015-06-01

Evidence from economic evaluations is often not used to inform healthcare policy despite being well regarded by policy makers and physicians. This article employs the accessibility and acceptability framework to review the barriers to using evidence from economic evaluation in healthcare policy and the strategies used to overcome these barriers. Economic evaluations are often inaccessible to policymakers due to the absence of relevant economic evaluations, the time and cost required to conduct and interpret economic evaluations, and lack of expertise to evaluate quality and interpret results. Consistently reported factors that limit the translation of findings from economic evaluations into healthcare policy include poor quality of research informing economic evaluations, assumptions used in economic modelling, conflicts of interest, difficulties in transferring resources between sectors, negative attitudes to healthcare rationing, and the absence of equity considerations. Strategies to overcome these barriers have been suggested in the literature, including training, structured abstract databases, rapid evaluation, reporting checklists for journals, and considering factors other than cost effectiveness in economic evaluations, such as equity or budget impact. The factors that prevent or encourage decision makers to use evidence from economic evaluations have been identified, but the relative importance of these factors to decision makers is uncertain.

Using computer graphics to enhance astronaut and systems safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, J. W.

1985-01-01

Computer graphics is being employed at the NASA Johnson Space Center as a tool to perform rapid, efficient and economical analyses for man-machine integration, flight operations development and systems engineering. The Operator Station Design System (OSDS), a computer-based facility featuring a highly flexible and versatile interactive software package, PLAID, is described. This unique evaluation tool, with its expanding data base of Space Shuttle elements, various payloads, experiments, crew equipment and man models, supports a multitude of technical evaluations, including spacecraft and workstation layout, definition of astronaut visual access, flight techniques development, cargo integration and crew training. As OSDS is being applied to the Space Shuttle, Orbiter payloads (including the European Space Agency's Spacelab) and future space vehicles and stations, astronaut and systems safety are being enhanced. Typical OSDS examples are presented. By performing physical and operational evaluations during early conceptual phases. supporting systems verification for flight readiness, and applying its capabilities to real-time mission support, the OSDS provides the wherewithal to satisfy a growing need of the current and future space programs for efficient, economical analyses.

Forecasting conditional climate-change using a hybrid approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Esfahani, Akbar Akbari; Friedel, Michael J.

2014-01-01

A novel approach is proposed to forecast the likelihood of climate-change across spatial landscape gradients. This hybrid approach involves reconstructing past precipitation and temperature using the self-organizing map technique; determining quantile trends in the climate-change variables by quantile regression modeling; and computing conditional forecasts of climate-change variables based on self-similarity in quantile trends using the fractionally differenced auto-regressive integrated moving average technique. The proposed modeling approach is applied to states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah) in the southwestern U.S., where conditional forecasts of climate-change variables are evaluated against recent (2012) observations, evaluated at a future time period (2030), and evaluated as future trends (2009–2059). These results have broad economic, political, and social implications because they quantify uncertainty in climate-change forecasts affecting various sectors of society. Another benefit of the proposed hybrid approach is that it can be extended to any spatiotemporal scale providing self-similarity exists.

Proceedings: 1990 EPRI gas turbine procurement seminar

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McDonald, B.L.; Miller, M.N.

1991-06-01

This seminar presents information that enables utilities to implement more cost-effective procurements for gas turbine and combined-cycle power generation equipment. A systematic approach to specification and permitting procedures can lower unit life-cycle cost. APPROACH. Thirty-two staff members from 25 utilities met in Danvers, Massachusetts, October 9--11, 1990. Speakers representing utilities, vendors, and EPRI contractors presented material on recent procurement and startup experiences, permitting considerations, specification strategy, bid evaluation techniques, and a vendor's perspective of utility procurements. KEY POINTS. The seminar focused on specification features, procurement procedures, and bid evaluation techniques designed to implement life-cycle cost-effective procurement consistent with the plantmore » mission. Speakers highlighted the following issues: Experiential case histories of recent procurements and startups, emphasizing how to design procurement procedures that improve plant operating economics; Current trends in permitting for NO{sub x} compliance and recent permitting experience; Quantifiable evaluations of vendors' bids for RAM-related characteristics; The means to obtain specifically desired but nonstandard equipment features.« less

Did We Get Our Money’s Worth? Bridging Economic and Behavioral Measures of Program Success in Adolescent Drug Prevention

PubMed Central

Griffith, Kevin N.; Scheier, Lawrence M.

2013-01-01

The recent U.S. Congressional mandate for creating drug-free learning environments in elementary and secondary schools stipulates that education reform rely on accountability, parental and community involvement, local decision making, and use of evidence-based drug prevention programs. By necessity, this charge has been paralleled by increased interest in demonstrating that drug prevention programs net tangible benefits to society. One pressing concern is precisely how to integrate traditional scientific methods of program evaluation with economic measures of “cost efficiency”. The languages and methods of each respective discipline don’t necessarily converge on how to establish the true benefits of drug prevention. This article serves as a primer for conducting economic analyses of school-based drug prevention programs. The article provides the reader with a foundation in the relevant principles, methodologies, and benefits related to conducting economic analysis. Discussion revolves around how economists value the potential costs and benefits, both financial and personal, from implementing school-based drug prevention programs targeting youth. Application of heterogeneous costing methods coupled with widely divergent program evaluation findings influences the feasibility of these techniques and may hinder utilization of these practices. Determination of cost-efficiency should undoubtedly become one of several markers of program success and contribute to the ongoing debate over health policy. PMID:24217178

GREAT I: A Study of the Upper Mississippi River. Volume 3. Material and Equipment Needs, Commercial Transportation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

Needs 75 DEVELOPMENT OF DREDGING COST ESTIMATES 76 IMPLEMENTATION OF SELECTED PLAN 77 EVALUATION OF SELECTED PLAN 78 NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFECTS ...78 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY EFFECTS 78 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT) ITEM PAGE RECOMM*ENDATIONS 79 THE DREDGE WILLIAM A. THOMPSON 79 MECHANICAL DREDGING...and cost effective for implementing a recommended channel maintenance plan. 3. Suggesting which types of equipment and techniques are best suited for

Economic impact of angioplasty salvage techniques, with an emphasis on coronary stents: a method incorporating costs, revenues, clinical effectiveness and payer mix.

PubMed

Vaitkus, P T; Witmer, W T; Brandenburg, R G; Wells, S K; Zehnacker, J B

1997-10-01

We sought to broaden assessment of the economic impact of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) revascularization salvage strategies by taking into account costs, revenues, the off-setting effects of prevented clinical complications and the effects of payer mix. Previous economic analyses of PTCA have focused on the direct costs of treatment but have not accounted either for associated revenues or for the ability of costly salvage techniques such as coronary stenting to reduce even costlier complications. Procedural costs, revenues and contribution margins (i.e., "profit") were measured for 765 consecutive PTCA cases to assess the economic impact of salvage techniques (prolonged heparin administration, thrombolysis, intracoronary stenting or use of perfusion balloon catheters) and clinical complications (myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft surgery [CABG] or acute vessel closure with repeat PTCA). To assess the economic impact of various salvage techniques for failed PTCA, we used actual 1995 financial data as well as models of various mixes of fee-for-service, diagnosis-related group (DRG) and capitated payers. Under fee-for-service arrangements, most salvage techniques were profitable for the hospital. Stents were profitable at almost any level of clinical effectiveness. Under DRG-based systems, most salvage techniques such as stenting produced a financial loss to the hospital because one complication (CABG) remained profitable. Under capitated arrangements, stenting and other salvage modalities were profitable only if they were clinically effective in preventing complications in > 50% of cases in which they were used. The economic impact of PTCA salvage techniques depends on their clinical effectiveness, costs and revenues. In reimbursement systems dominated by DRG payers, salvage techniques are not rewarded, whereas complications are. Under capitated systems, the level of clinical effectiveness needed to achieve cost savings is probably not achievable in current practice. Further studies are needed to define equitable reimbursement schedules that will promote clinically effective practice.

A cost-based equity weight for use in the economic evaluation of primary health care interventions: case study of the Australian Indigenous population

PubMed Central

Ong, Katherine S; Kelaher, Margaret; Anderson, Ian; Carter, Rob

2009-01-01

Background Efficiency and equity are both important policy objectives in resource allocation. The discipline of health economics has traditionally focused on maximising efficiency, however addressing inequities in health also requires consideration. Methods to incorporate equity within economic evaluation techniques range from qualitative judgements to quantitative outcomes-based equity weights. Yet, due to definitional uncertainties and other inherent limitations, no method has been universally adopted to date. This paper proposes an alternative cost-based equity weight for use in the economic evaluation of interventions delivered from primary health care services. Methods Equity is defined in terms of 'access' to health services, with the vertical equity objective to achieve 'equitable access for unequal need'. Using the Australian Indigenous population as an illustrative case study, the magnitude of the equity weight is constructed using the ratio of the costs of providing specific interventions via Indigenous primary health care services compared with the costs of the same interventions delivered via mainstream services. Applying this weight to the costs of subsequent interventions deflates the costs of provision via Indigenous health services, and thus makes comparisons with mainstream more equitable when applied during economic evaluation. Results Based on achieving 'equitable access', existing measures of health inequity are suitable for establishing 'need', however the magnitude of health inequity is not necessarily proportional to the magnitude of resources required to redress it. Rather, equitable access may be better measured using appropriate methods of health service delivery for the target group. 'Equity of access' also suggests a focus on the processes of providing equitable health care rather than on outcomes, and therefore supports application of equity weights to the cost side rather than the outcomes side of the economic equation. Conclusion Cost-based weights have the potential to provide a pragmatic method of equity weight construction which is both understandable to policy makers and sensitive to the needs of target groups. It could improve the evidence base for resource allocation decisions, and be generalised to other disadvantaged groups who share similar concepts of equity. Development of this decision-making tool represents a potentially important avenue for further health economics research. PMID:19807930

Do economic evaluation studies inform effective healthcare resource allocation in Iran? A critical review of the literature.

PubMed

Haghparast-Bidgoli, Hassan; Kiadaliri, Aliasghar Ahmad; Skordis-Worrall, Jolene

2014-01-01

To aid informed health sector decision-making, data from sufficient high quality economic evaluations must be available to policy makers. To date, no known study has analysed the quantity and quality of available Iranian economic evaluation studies. This study aimed to assess the quantity, quality and targeting of economic evaluation studies conducted in the Iranian context. The study systematically reviewed full economic evaluation studies (n = 30) published between 1999 and 2012 in international and local journals. The findings of the review indicate that although the literature on economic evaluation in Iran is growing, these evaluations were of poor quality and suffer from several major methodological flaws. Furthermore, the review reveals that economic evaluation studies have not addressed the major health problems in Iran. While the availability of evidence is no guarantee that it will be used to aid decision-making, the absence of evidence will certainly preclude its use. Considering the deficiencies in the data identified by this review, current economic evaluations cannot be a useful source of information for decision makers in Iran. To improve the quality and overall usefulness of economic evaluations we would recommend; 1) developing clear national guidelines for the conduct of economic evaluations, 2) highlighting priority areas where information from such studies would be most useful and 3) training researchers and policy makers in the calculation and use of economic evaluation data.

Do economic evaluation studies inform effective healthcare resource allocation in Iran? A critical review of the literature

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

To aid informed health sector decision-making, data from sufficient high quality economic evaluations must be available to policy makers. To date, no known study has analysed the quantity and quality of available Iranian economic evaluation studies. This study aimed to assess the quantity, quality and targeting of economic evaluation studies conducted in the Iranian context. The study systematically reviewed full economic evaluation studies (n = 30) published between 1999 and 2012 in international and local journals. The findings of the review indicate that although the literature on economic evaluation in Iran is growing, these evaluations were of poor quality and suffer from several major methodological flaws. Furthermore, the review reveals that economic evaluation studies have not addressed the major health problems in Iran. While the availability of evidence is no guarantee that it will be used to aid decision-making, the absence of evidence will certainly preclude its use. Considering the deficiencies in the data identified by this review, current economic evaluations cannot be a useful source of information for decision makers in Iran. To improve the quality and overall usefulness of economic evaluations we would recommend; 1) developing clear national guidelines for the conduct of economic evaluations, 2) highlighting priority areas where information from such studies would be most useful and 3) training researchers and policy makers in the calculation and use of economic evaluation data. PMID:25050084

Non-invasive spectroscopic techniques in the diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drakaki, E.; Sianoudis, IA; Zois, EN; Makropoulou, M.; Serafetinides, AA; Dessinioti, C.; Stefanaki, E.; Stratigos, AJ; Antoniou, C.; Katsambas, A.; Christofidou, E.

2017-11-01

The number of non-melanoma skin cancers is increasing worldwide and has become an important health and economic issue. Early detection and treatment of skin cancer can significantly improve patient outcome. Therefore there is an increase in the demand for proper management and effective non-invasive diagnostic modalities in order to avoid relapses or unnecessary treatments. Although the gold standard of diagnosis for non-melanoma skin cancers is biopsy followed by histopathology evaluation, optical non-invasive diagnostic tools have obtained increased attention. Emerging non-invasive or minimal invasive techniques with possible application in the diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancers include high-definition optical coherence tomography, fluorescence spectroscopy, oblique incidence diffuse reflectance spectrometry among others spectroscopic techniques. Our findings establish how those spectrometric techniques can be used to more rapidly and easily diagnose skin cancer in an accurate and automated manner in the clinic.

Economic evaluation of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles: A methodological review.

PubMed

Lopatina, Elena; Donald, Faith; DiCenso, Alba; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Kilpatrick, Kelley; Bryant-Lukosius, Denise; Carter, Nancy; Reid, Kim; Marshall, Deborah A

2017-07-01

Advanced practice nurses (e.g., nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists) have been introduced internationally to increase access to high quality care and to tackle increasing health care expenditures. While randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews have demonstrated the effectiveness of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles, their cost-effectiveness has been challenged. The poor quality of economic evaluations of these roles to date raises the question of whether current economic evaluation guidelines are adequate when examining their cost-effectiveness. To examine whether current guidelines for economic evaluation are appropriate for economic evaluations of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles. Our methodological review was informed by a qualitative synthesis of four sources of information: 1) narrative review of literature reviews and discussion papers on economic evaluation of advanced practice nursing roles; 2) quality assessment of economic evaluations of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles alongside randomised controlled trials; 3) review of guidelines for economic evaluation; and, 4) input from an expert panel. The narrative literature review revealed several challenges in economic evaluations of advanced practice nursing roles (e.g., complexity of the roles, variability in models and practice settings where the roles are implemented, and impact on outcomes that are difficult to measure). The quality assessment of economic evaluations of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles alongside randomised controlled trials identified methodological limitations of these studies. When we applied the Guidelines for the Economic Evaluation of Health Technologies: Canada to the identified challenges and limitations, discussed those with experts and qualitatively synthesized all findings, we concluded that standard guidelines for economic evaluation are appropriate for economic evaluations of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles and should be routinely followed. However, seven out of 15 current guideline sections (describing a decision problem, choosing type of economic evaluation, selecting comparators, determining the study perspective, estimating effectiveness, measuring and valuing health, and assessing resource use and costs) may require additional role-specific considerations to capture costs and effects of these roles. Current guidelines for economic evaluation should form the foundation for economic evaluations of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles. The proposed role-specific considerations, which clarify application of standard guidelines sections to economic evaluation of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles, may strengthen the quality and comprehensiveness of future economic evaluations of these roles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intrathecal drug delivery systems for the management of chronic non-cancer pain: protocol for a systematic review of economic evaluations

PubMed Central

Lambe, Tosin; Raphael, Jon H; Eldabe, Sam; Andronis, Lazaros

2016-01-01

Introduction Intrathecal drug delivery (ITDD) systems are an option for the management of patients with chronic non-cancer pain, cancer pain and spasticity. Concerns over their invasiveness and high initial costs have led National Health Service (NHS) England to decommission ITDD for patients with chronic non-cancer pain. However, the extent to which this decision is in line with existing economic evidence is unclear. To address this question, we will carry out a systematic review to identify and evaluate the existing evidence on the cost-effectiveness of ITDD for chronic non-cancer pain. Methods and analysis A high-sensitivity search strategy will be employed in Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, NHS EED, DARE and HTA. Database searches will be complemented by additional searching techniques. Screening of the results will be performed by 2 reviewers independently using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Full and partial economic evaluations will be included. Data extraction will be carried out using a form created for the purposes of this review. Quality assessment of all included studies will be performed using recommended checklists. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval is not required as primary data will not be collected. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. PROSPERO registration number CRD42016035266. PMID:27421298

How to Measure Costs and Benefits of eHealth Interventions: An Overview of Methods and Frameworks.

PubMed

Bergmo, Trine Strand

2015-11-09

Information on the costs and benefits of eHealth interventions is needed, not only to document value for money and to support decision making in the field, but also to form the basis for developing business models and to facilitate payment systems to support large-scale services. In the absence of solid evidence of its effects, key decision makers may doubt the effectiveness, which, in turn, limits investment in, and the long-term integration of, eHealth services. However, it is not realistic to conduct economic evaluations of all eHealth applications and services in all situations, so we need to be able to generalize from those we do conduct. This implies that we have to select the most appropriate methodology and data collection strategy in order to increase the transferability across evaluations. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of how to apply economic evaluation methodology in the eHealth field. It provides a brief overview of basic health economics principles and frameworks and discusses some methodological issues and challenges in conducting cost-effectiveness analysis of eHealth interventions. Issues regarding the identification, measurement, and valuation of costs and benefits are outlined. Furthermore, this work describes the established techniques of combining costs and benefits, presents the decision rules for identifying the preferred option, and outlines approaches to data collection strategies. Issues related to transferability and complexity are also discussed.

Economical Analysis on Prophylaxis, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Periprosthetic Infections

PubMed Central

Fernandez-Fairen, Mariano; Torres, Ana; Menzie, Ann; Hernandez-Vaquero, Daniel; Fernandez-Carreira, José Manuel; Murcia-Mazon, Antonio; Guerado, Enrique; Merzthal, Luis

2013-01-01

The economic burden of periprosthetic infections is enormous, but the number of economic studies dealing with this issue is very scarce. This review tries to know the economic literature existing, assess the value of current data, and recognize the less costly and more effective procedures for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of periprosthetic infections. Forty five studies meeting the inclusion criteria and adhering to the quality criteria used were carefully analyzed to extract the economic data of relevance in evaluating the magnitude of problem and the more cost-effective solutions. However, because the heterogeneity and the low-quality of most of these studies meta-analytical technique has not been possible. Instead, the studies have been reviewed descriptively. Optimizing the antibiotic use in the prevention and treatment of periprosthetic infection, combined with systemic and behavioral changes in the operating room; detecting and treating the high-risk groups; a quick, simple, reliable, safe, and cost-effective diagnosis, and the rationale management of the instituted infection, specifically using the different procedures according to each particular case, could allow to improve outcomes and produce the highest quality of life for patients and the lowest economic impact. Nevertheless, the cost effectiveness of different interventions to prevent and to treat the periprosthetic infection remains unclear. PMID:24082966

Chaotic time series analysis in economics: Balance and perspectives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faggini, Marisa, E-mail: mfaggini@unisa.it

2014-12-15

The aim of the paper is not to review the large body of work concerning nonlinear time series analysis in economics, about which much has been written, but rather to focus on the new techniques developed to detect chaotic behaviours in economic data. More specifically, our attention will be devoted to reviewing some of these techniques and their application to economic and financial data in order to understand why chaos theory, after a period of growing interest, appears now not to be such an interesting and promising research area.

Contemporary health care economics: an overview.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Nancy; Ong, Michael K; Tabbush, Victor; Hagigi, Farhad; Martin, Neil A

2014-11-01

Economic evaluations provide a decision-making framework in which outcomes (benefits) and costs are assessed for various alternative options. Although the interest in complete and partial economic evaluations has increased over the past 2 decades, the quality of studies has been marginal due to methodological challenges or incomplete cost determination. This paper provides an overview of the main types of complete and partial economic evaluations, reviews key methodological elements to be considered for any economic evaluation, and reviews concepts of cost determination. The goal is to provide the clinician neurosurgeon with the knowledge and tools needed to appraise published economic evaluations and to direct high-quality health economic evaluations.

Health economic evaluation: important principles and methodology.

PubMed

Rudmik, Luke; Drummond, Michael

2013-06-01

To discuss health economic evaluation and improve the understanding of common methodology. This article discusses the methodology for the following types of economic evaluations: cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-benefit, and economic modeling. Topics include health-state utility measures, the quality-adjusted life year (QALY), uncertainty analysis, discounting, decision tree analysis, and Markov modeling. Economic evaluation is the comparative analysis of alternative courses of action in terms of both their costs and consequences. With increasing health care expenditure and limited resources, it is important for physicians to consider the economic impact of their interventions. Understanding common methodology involved in health economic evaluation will improve critical appraisal of the literature and optimize future economic evaluations. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Health economics evaluation of a gastric cancer early detection and treatment program in China.

PubMed

Li, Dan; Yuan, Yuan; Sun, Li-Ping; Fang, Xue; Zhou, Bao-Sen

2014-01-01

To use health economics methodology to assess the screening program on gastric cancer in Zhuanghe, China, so as to provide the basis for health decision on expanding the program of early detection and treatment. The expense of an early detection and treatment program for gastric cancer in patients found by screening, and also costs of traditional treatment in a hospital of Zhuanghe were assessed. Three major techniques of medical economics, namely cost-effective analysis (CEA), cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and cost-utility analysis (CUA), were used to assess the screening program. RESULTS from CEA showed that investing every 25, 235 Yuan on screening program in Zhuanghe area, one gastric cancer patient could be saved. Data from CUA showed that it was cost 1, 370 Yuan per QALY saved. RESULTS from CBA showed that: the total cost was 1,945,206 Yuan with a benefit as 8,669,709 Yuan and an CBR of 4.46. The early detection and treatment program of gastric cancer appears economic and society-beneficial. We suggest that it should be carry out in more high risk areas for gastric cancer.

Analytical Approach for Detroit Urban Redevelopment and Rehabilitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korkmaz, Kasim A.

2017-10-01

Detroit had been the leader city in manufacturing in the 20th century in the US. The automobile industry created and continued the thriving economy in Detroit, MI in the early to mid-1900s. When outsourcing impacted the industry, people began to leave the city. That turned into a demographic catastrophe in Detroit. Economy had continuously felt and many of the properties were foreclosed. After the housing market crash in 2008, a big economic crisis effected all country. After such a strong economic crisis, Detroit has been desperately need of economic revival which has begun to turn around very slowly in last ten years. In this paper, while defining the nature of the problem, workable solutions for Detroit area are discussed with certain and framed techniques. The main purpose is to understand the current case for Detroit after a decade of the economic crisis and bring solutions for urban redevelopment and rehabilitation for Detroit area with real examples. A detailed evaluation is carried through comparison with other cities. Paper also details the problems in Detroit area, reasons behind the complications, components/parameters, constraints/limitations, solutions, people involved and expected results.

Economic analysis of the health impacts of housing improvement studies: a systematic review.

PubMed

Fenwick, Elisabeth; Macdonald, Catriona; Thomson, Hilary

2013-10-01

Economic evaluation of public policies has been advocated but rarely performed. Studies from a systematic review of the health impacts of housing improvement included data on costs and some economic analysis. Examination of these data provides an opportunity to explore the difficulties and the potential for economic evaluation of housing. Data were extracted from all studies included in the systematic review of housing improvement which had reported costs and economic analysis (n=29/45). The reported data were assessed for their suitability to economic evaluation. Where an economic analysis was reported the analysis was described according to pre-set definitions of various types of economic analysis used in the field of health economics. 25 studies reported cost data on the intervention and/or benefits to the recipients. Of these, 11 studies reported data which was considered amenable to economic evaluation. A further four studies reported conducting an economic evaluation. Three of these studies presented a hybrid 'balance sheet' approach and indicated a net economic benefit associated with the intervention. One cost-effectiveness evaluation was identified but the data were unclearly reported; the cost-effectiveness plane suggested that the intervention was more costly and less effective than the status quo. Future studies planning an economic evaluation need to (i) make best use of available data and (ii) ensure that all relevant data are collected. To facilitate this, economic evaluations should be planned alongside the intervention with input from health economists from the outset of the study. When undertaken appropriately, economic evaluation provides the potential to make significant contributions to housing policy.

The importance of intestinal ultrasound and elastographic techniques in inflammatory bowel diseases.

PubMed

Marin, Andreea; Tribus, Laura; Fierbinteanu-Braticevici, Carmen

2018-05-02

Inflammatory bowel diseases have an important impact upon the economic and social status due to their increasing incidence and prevalence, often affecting young people. At the moment, the therapeutic goal goes beyond the improvement of symptoms and laboratory parameters, being represented by endoscopic mucosal healing, changing the disease's natural history. Even though endoscopy is the gold standard for the assessment of mucosal healing, it is an invasive maneuver and it lacks good repeatability. These patients require frequent evaluation; therefore, interest for noninvasive techniques has risen.As a consequence, the importance of intestinal ultrasound has increased lately and recent studies support its use to assess the degree of inflammation, to differentiate between remission and relapse, to monitor therapy response and guide treatment, to evaluate prognosis, and to diagnose complications. Another promising noninvasive imagistic technique is elastography which has gained interest because of its capacity to discriminate between inflammatory and fibrotic tissue, taking into account the different therapeutic options for the fibrotic strictures compared to inflammatory processes. This review summarizes the actual recommendations regarding the use of intestinal ultrasound and elastographic techniques for the diagnosis and monitoring of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Finding the economics in economic entomology.

PubMed

Onstad, David W; Knolhoff, Lisa M

2009-02-01

To recommend new pest management tactics and strategies to farmers and policy makers, economic entomologists must evaluate the economics of biologically reasonable approaches. We collected data to determine how frequently these economic evaluations occur. We discovered from our survey of entomological journals representing the discipline of economic entomology that < 1% of research papers published since 1972 include economic evaluations of pest management tactics. At least 85% of these analyses were performed by entomologists and not economists. Much of the research on economic evaluations is performed without special funds granted by agencies separate from the authors' institutions. In the United States, USDA competitive grants supported 20% of the economic evaluations published since 2000. However, only approximately 12% of the projects funded since 2000 by three sections of the USDA (Crops at Risk, Risk Avoidance and Mitigation Program, and Pest Management Alternatives Program) resulted in publications concerning economic evaluations. If the purpose of economic entomology is to ultimately determine the value of different kinds of tactics, the discipline may need to take steps to enhance the research that supports these evaluations.

Comparing the incomparable? A systematic review of competing techniques for converting descriptive measures of health status into QALY-weights.

PubMed

Mortimer, Duncan; Segal, Leonie

2008-01-01

Algorithms for converting descriptive measures of health status into quality-adjusted life year (QALY)--weights are now widely available, and their application in economic evaluation is increasingly commonplace. The objective of this study is to describe and compare existing conversion algorithms and to highlight issues bearing on the derivation and interpretation of the QALY-weights so obtained. Systematic review of algorithms for converting descriptive measures of health status into QALY-weights. The review identified a substantial body of literature comprising 46 derivation studies and 16 studies that provided evidence or commentary on the validity of conversion algorithms. Conversion algorithms were derived using 1 of 4 techniques: 1) transfer to utility regression, 2) response mapping, 3) effect size translation, and 4) "revaluing" outcome measures using preference-based scaling techniques. Although these techniques differ in their methodological/theoretical tradition, data requirements, and ease of derivation and application, the available evidence suggests that the sensitivity and validity of derived QALY-weights may be more dependent on the coverage and sensitivity of measures and the disease area/patient group under evaluation than on the technique used in derivation. Despite the recent proliferation of conversion algorithms, a number of questions bearing on the derivation and interpretation of derived QALY-weights remain unresolved. These unresolved issues suggest directions for future research in this area. In the meantime, analysts seeking guidance in selecting derived QALY-weights should consider the validity and feasibility of each conversion algorithm in the disease area and patient group under evaluation rather than restricting their choice to weights from a particular derivation technique.

Health care in the developing world: the role of economists and economics.

PubMed

Lee, K

1983-01-01

This paper does not address itself to high theory or to complex methodologies; nor does it offer any detailed illumination of key economic concepts. Rather, it focuses on the role of economists and economics (not the same thing) in the formulation of health policies, and in influencing an evaluation of health strategies appropriate to the requirements of the developing world. The paper argues that the 'climate' has changed sufficiently in the developing world to promote a close interest in the economics of health and health care. Evidence exists of a growing willingness to employ economists and economic analysis to resource allocation issues within the health sector. Accordingly, a glossary of economic concepts in presented to demonstrate that economics does possess certain ideas, distinct from other disciplines, which can be of considerable value to health planners and health managers alike. The text also sets out, in tabular form, many of the key questions that should be of close interest to policy-makers, and indicates the economic concepts and techniques that can be applied. At the same time, it is noted that there are very real conceptual and methodological problems likely to be faced by those wishing to apply economic reasoning to the health sector. The paper then moves on from analysis to consider implementation, and investigates the political constraints and institutional barriers to the acceptance of economic analysis in the health sector. In the past, the nature of the economics of health has sometimes been considered improper, i.e. views have been expressed that services should be made available to those for whom they may be beneficial, as a matter of right without regard to economics.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Optimal planning and design of a renewable energy based supply system for microgrids

DOE PAGES

Hafez, Omar; Bhattacharya, Kankar

2012-03-03

This paper presents a technique for optimal planning and design of hybrid renewable energy systems for microgrid applications. The Distributed Energy Resources Customer Adoption Model (DER-CAM) is used to determine the optimal size and type of distributed energy resources (DERs) and their operating schedules for a sample utility distribution system. Using the DER-CAM results, an evaluation is performed to evaluate the electrical performance of the distribution circuit if the DERs selected by the DER-CAM optimization analyses are incorporated. Results of analyses regarding the economic benefits of utilizing the optimal locations identified for the selected DER within the system are alsomore » presented. The actual Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) campus electrical network is used as an example to show the effectiveness of this approach. The results show that these technical and economic analyses of hybrid renewable energy systems are essential for the efficient utilization of renewable energy resources for microgird applications.« less

An index to determine vulnerability of communities in a coastal zone: a case study of Baler, Aurora, Philippines.

PubMed

Orencio, Pedcris M; Fujii, Masahiko

2013-02-01

A coastal community vulnerability index (CCVI) was constructed to evaluate the vulnerability of coastal communities (Buhangin, Pingit, Reserva, Sabang, and Zabali) in the municipality of Baler, Aurora, Philippines. This index was composed of weighted averages of seven vulnerability factors namely geographical, economic and livelihood, food security, environmental, policy and institutional, demographic, and capital good. Factor values were computed based on scores that described range of conditions that influence communities' susceptibility to hazard effects. Among the factors evaluated, economic and livelihood, policy and institutional and food security contributed to CCVI across communities. Only small variations on CCVI values (i.e., 0.47-0.53) were observed as factor values cancelled out one another during combination process. Overall, Sabang received the highest CCVI, which was contributed mainly by geographical and demographic factors. This technique to determine factors that influenced communities' vulnerability can provide information for local governments in enhancing policies on risk mitigation and adaptation.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue: a framework for the marriage of health econometrics and cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Hoch, Jeffrey S; Briggs, Andrew H; Willan, Andrew R

2002-07-01

Economic evaluation is often seen as a branch of health economics divorced from mainstream econometric techniques. Instead, it is perceived as relying on statistical methods for clinical trials. Furthermore, the statistic of interest in cost-effectiveness analysis, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio is not amenable to regression-based methods, hence the traditional reliance on comparing aggregate measures across the arms of a clinical trial. In this paper, we explore the potential for health economists undertaking cost-effectiveness analysis to exploit the plethora of established econometric techniques through the use of the net-benefit framework - a recently suggested reformulation of the cost-effectiveness problem that avoids the reliance on cost-effectiveness ratios and their associated statistical problems. This allows the formulation of the cost-effectiveness problem within a standard regression type framework. We provide an example with empirical data to illustrate how a regression type framework can enhance the net-benefit method. We go on to suggest that practical advantages of the net-benefit regression approach include being able to use established econometric techniques, adjust for imperfect randomisation, and identify important subgroups in order to estimate the marginal cost-effectiveness of an intervention. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An innovative privacy preserving technique for incremental datasets on cloud computing.

PubMed

Aldeen, Yousra Abdul Alsahib S; Salleh, Mazleena; Aljeroudi, Yazan

2016-08-01

Cloud computing (CC) is a magnificent service-based delivery with gigantic computer processing power and data storage across connected communications channels. It imparted overwhelming technological impetus in the internet (web) mediated IT industry, where users can easily share private data for further analysis and mining. Furthermore, user affable CC services enable to deploy sundry applications economically. Meanwhile, simple data sharing impelled various phishing attacks and malware assisted security threats. Some privacy sensitive applications like health services on cloud that are built with several economic and operational benefits necessitate enhanced security. Thus, absolute cyberspace security and mitigation against phishing blitz became mandatory to protect overall data privacy. Typically, diverse applications datasets are anonymized with better privacy to owners without providing all secrecy requirements to the newly added records. Some proposed techniques emphasized this issue by re-anonymizing the datasets from the scratch. The utmost privacy protection over incremental datasets on CC is far from being achieved. Certainly, the distribution of huge datasets volume across multiple storage nodes limits the privacy preservation. In this view, we propose a new anonymization technique to attain better privacy protection with high data utility over distributed and incremental datasets on CC. The proficiency of data privacy preservation and improved confidentiality requirements is demonstrated through performance evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Technical and economic assessments of storage techniques for long-term retention of industrial-beet sugar for non-food industrial fermentations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargas-Ramirez, Juan Manuel

Industrial beets may compete against corn grain as an important source of sugars for non-food industrial fermentations. However, dependable and energy-efficient systems for beet sugar storage and processing are necessary to help establish industrial beets as a viable sugar feedstock. Therefore, technical and economic aspects of beet sugar storage and processing were evaluated. First, sugar retention was evaluated in whole beets treated externally with either one of two antimicrobials or a senescence inhibitor and stored for 36 wk at different temperature and atmosphere combinations. Although surface treatment did not improve sugar retention, full retention was enabled by beet dehydration caused by ambient air at 25 °C and with a relative humidity of 37%. This insight led to the evaluation of sugar retention in ground-beet tissue ensiled for 8 wk at different combinations of acidic pH, moisture content (MC), and sugar:solids. Some combinations of pH ≤ 4.0 and MC ≤ 67.5% enabled retentions of at least 90%. Yeast fermentability was also evaluated in non-purified beet juice acidified to enable long-term storage and partially neutralized before fermentation. None of the salts synthesized through juice acidification and partial neutralization inhibited yeast fermentation at the levels evaluated in that work. Conversely, yeast fermentation rates significantly improved in the presence of ammonium salts, which appeared to compensate for nitrogen deficiencies. Capital and operating costs for production and storage of concentrated beet juice for an ethanol plant with a production capacity of 76 x 106 L y-1 were estimated on a dry-sugar basis as U.S. ¢34.0 kg-1 and ¢2.2 kg-1, respectively. Storage and processing techniques evaluated thus far prove that industrial beets are a technically-feasible sugar feedstock for ethanol production.

Horticultural, systems-engineering and economic evaluations of short-term plant storage techniques as a labor management tool for vegetable grafting nurseries

PubMed Central

Son, Young-Jun; Lewis, Myles; Spalholz, Hans; Tronstad, Russell

2017-01-01

This transdisciplinary study has a three-fold systems approach in evaluating a horticultural technology: 1) horticultural evaluations, 2) economic and resource analyses, and 3) systems engineering analyses, using low temperature storage as an example technology. Vegetable grafting is a technique to produce value-added seedlings but requires labor intensive nursery operations. Low temperature storage of seedlings for a short period of time can reduce peak production, but has not been evaluated at the extent demonstrated in this paper. Seedlings of 22 genotypes of Cucurbitaceae (cucurbit family) and Solanaceae (nightshade family) were evaluated for storability under selected temperatures and photosynthetic photon flux. Storability of Cucurbitaceous seedlings varied between 2 to 4 weeks at 12°C and 13 μmol m-2 s-1. Solanaceous seedlings were generally storable for 4 weeks at 12°C and 13 μmol m-2 s-1, but tomato seedlings could be stored for 4 weeks at 10°C and 5 μmol m-2 s-1. Capital and weekly operational costs of a low temperature storage system with a design that meets environmental requirements were estimated as $671 to $708 per m2 footprint and $0.79 to $2.21 per m2 footprint per week, respectively. Electricity costs per plant was less than 0.1 cents for 2 to 4 weeks of storage. Using a schedule-optimization heuristic and a logistics simulator previously developed for grafting nursery operations, six production scenarios consisting of two crops (tomato or watermelon) and three production peak patterns were examined to evaluate the impact of including low temperature storage. While the overall average costs of grafting labor were not significantly different, maximum labor demand and grafting labor cost during the peak production week were reduced by 31% to 50% and 14% to 30% by using storage, respectively. Therefore, low temperature storage can be an effective means to address the issue of labor management in grafting nurseries. PMID:28182757

Economic analysis of the health impacts of housing improvement studies: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Fenwick, Elisabeth; Macdonald, Catriona; Thomson, Hilary

2013-01-01

Background Economic evaluation of public policies has been advocated but rarely performed. Studies from a systematic review of the health impacts of housing improvement included data on costs and some economic analysis. Examination of these data provides an opportunity to explore the difficulties and the potential for economic evaluation of housing. Methods Data were extracted from all studies included in the systematic review of housing improvement which had reported costs and economic analysis (n=29/45). The reported data were assessed for their suitability to economic evaluation. Where an economic analysis was reported the analysis was described according to pre-set definitions of various types of economic analysis used in the field of health economics. Results 25 studies reported cost data on the intervention and/or benefits to the recipients. Of these, 11 studies reported data which was considered amenable to economic evaluation. A further four studies reported conducting an economic evaluation. Three of these studies presented a hybrid ‘balance sheet’ approach and indicated a net economic benefit associated with the intervention. One cost-effectiveness evaluation was identified but the data were unclearly reported; the cost-effectiveness plane suggested that the intervention was more costly and less effective than the status quo. Conclusions Future studies planning an economic evaluation need to (i) make best use of available data and (ii) ensure that all relevant data are collected. To facilitate this, economic evaluations should be planned alongside the intervention with input from health economists from the outset of the study. When undertaken appropriately, economic evaluation provides the potential to make significant contributions to housing policy. PMID:23929616

Decision Analysis Using Value-Focused Thinking for Retention of Long-Term Officers in the Korean Army

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

Figure 2 Advantage of Value Focused Thinking Figure 3 shows the ten-step approach for executing VFT. This helps people learn techniques to...country is economically. So, it is natural proxy scale. Among winter Olympic Games, the players in figure skating are evaluated by examiners using...dollars Gross national product Constructed Points in Figure skating Letter Grade in School 17 2.4.4 Step-4 Create Value Function It is

Development of manufacturing processes: improved technology for ceramic engine components. Monthly report, August 1977

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Craig, D.F.; Taylor, A.J.; Weber, G.W.

Progress is described in a research program to develop advanced tooling concepts, processing techniques, and related technology for the economical high-volume manufacture of ceramic engine components. Because of the success of the initial fabrication effort for hot pressing fully dense ceramic turbine blades to shape and/or contour, the effort has been extended to include the fabrication of more complex shapes and the evaluation of alternative pressure-assisted, high-temperature, consolidation methods.

Special Section: A Debate on Research Techniques in Economic Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, George G.; And Others

1976-01-01

Dawson introduces three articles which debate merits of research techniques in undergraduate economic education. William E. Becker criticizes John C. Soper's models, multicollinearity argument, and student incentives in a research project; Soper replies; Robert Highsmith critically analyzes strengths and weaknesses of each argument. (AV)

Ecological economics of soil erosion: a review of the current state of knowledge.

PubMed

Adhikari, Bhim; Nadella, Karthik

2011-02-01

The economics of land degradation has received relatively little attention until recent years. Although a number of studies have undertaken valuation of ecosystem services ranging from the global to the micro level, and quite a few studies have attempted to quantify the costs of soil erosion, studies that address the full costs of land degradation are still scarce. In this review, we attempt to analyze different land resource modeling and valuation techniques applied in earlier research and the type of data used in these analyses, and to assess their utility for different forms of land resource and management appraisal. We also report on the strengths and weaknesses of different valuation techniques used in studies on the economics of soil erosion, and the relevance of these valuation techniques. We make a case for the need for more appropriate models that can make the analysis more robust in estimating the economic costs of land degradation while recognizing the spatial heterogeneity in biophysical and economic conditions. © 2011 New York Academy of Sciences.

[Basic principles and methodological considerations of health economic evaluations].

PubMed

Loza, Cesar; Castillo-Portilla, Manuel; Rojas, José Luis; Huayanay, Leandro

2011-01-01

Health Economics is an essential instrument for health management, and economic evaluations can be considered as tools assisting the decision-making process for the allocation of resources in health. Currently, economic evaluations are increasingly being used worldwide, thus encouraging evidence-based decision-making and seeking efficient and rational alternatives within the framework of health services activities. In this review, we present an overview and define the basic types of economic evaluations, with emphasis on complete Economic Evaluations (EE). In addition, we review key concepts regarding the perspectives from which EE can be conducted, the types of costs that can be considered, the time horizon, discounting, assessment of uncertainty and decision rules. Finally, we describe concepts about the extrapolation and spread of economic evaluations in health.

Unpaid work in health economic evaluations.

PubMed

Krol, Marieke; Brouwer, Werner

2015-11-01

Given its societal importance, unpaid work should be included in economic evaluations of health care technology aiming to take a societal perspective. However, in practice this does not often appear to be the case. This paper provides an overview of the current place of unpaid work in economic evaluations in theory and in practice. It does so first by summarizing recommendations regarding the inclusion of unpaid labor reported in health economic textbooks and national guidelines for economic evaluations. In total, three prominent health economic text-books were studied and 28 national health economic guidelines. The paper, moreover, provides an overview of the instruments available to measure lost unpaid labor and reports on a review of the place of unpaid labor in applied economic evaluations in the area of rheumatoid arthritis. The review was conducted by examining methodology of evaluations published between 1 March 2008 and 1 March 2013. The results of this study show that little guidance is offered regarding the inclusion of unpaid labor in economic evaluations in textbooks and guidelines. The review identified five productivity costs instruments including questions about unpaid work and 33 economic evaluations of treatments for rheumatoid arthritis of which only one included unpaid work. The results indicate that unpaid work is rarely included in applied economic evaluations of treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, despite this disease expecting to be associated with lost unpaid work. Given the strong effects of certain diseases and treatments on the ability to perform unpaid work, unpaid work currently receives less attention in economic evaluations than it deserves. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Development of a technique for recovering Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts from fresh vegetables].

PubMed

Di Benedetto, M A; Di Piazza, F; Oliveri, R; Cerame, G; Valenti, R; Firenze, A

2006-01-01

Techniques described for recovering Giardia and Cryptosporidium (oo)cysts from fruit and vegetables are generally inadequate and present variable recovery efficience and elevated costs. The aim of our study was to evaluate the recovery efficiency of a simple and economic technique to apply either to berry vegetables, like tomatoes and peppers, or to large leave vegetables, like lettuce and chicory. The method include contamination and further elution of the vegetables. Then sedimentation of (oo)cysts by centrifugation of the eluate of vegetables and their visualization by means of direct immunofluorescence. The higher recovery values for both protozoa were obtained in large leave vegetables with mean data above 70% for Giardia and 76% for Cryptosporidium, whereas the values observed in the berry vegetables were above 43% for Giardia and above 37% for Cryptosporidium on average.

The role of input-output analysis of energy and ecologic systems. In the early development of ecological economics--a personal perspective.

PubMed

Hannon, Bruce

2010-01-01

A summary is provided of the early history of research on the flow of nonrenewable energy resources through the economy and of the flow of renewable energy resources through a natural ecosystem. The techniques are similar, and many specific applications are provided. A combined economic and ecological technique is also defined. The early history and people of the International Society Ecological Economic are cited.

Using health technology assessment to assess the value of new medicines: results of a systematic review and expert consultation across eight European countries.

PubMed

Angelis, Aris; Lange, Ansgar; Kanavos, Panos

2018-01-01

Although health technology assessment (HTA) systems base their decision making process either on economic evaluations or comparative clinical benefit assessment, a central aim of recent approaches to value measurement, including value based assessment and pricing, points towards the incorporation of supplementary evidence and criteria that capture additional dimensions of value. To study the practices, processes and policies of value-assessment for new medicines across eight European countries and the role of HTA beyond economic evaluation and clinical benefit assessment. A systematic (peer review and grey) literature review was conducted using an analytical framework examining: (1) 'Responsibilities and structure of HTA agencies'; (2) 'Evidence and evaluation criteria considered in HTAs'; (3) 'Methods and techniques applied in HTAs'; and (4) 'Outcomes and implementation of HTAs'. Study countries were France, Germany, England, Sweden, Italy, Netherlands, Poland and Spain. Evidence from the literature was validated and updated through two rounds of feedback involving primary data collection from national experts. All countries assess similar types of evidence; however, the specific criteria/endpoints used, their level of provision and requirement, and the way they are incorporated (e.g. explicitly vs. implicitly) varies across countries, with their relative importance remaining generally unknown. Incorporation of additional 'social value judgements' (beyond clinical benefit assessment) and economic evaluation could help explain heterogeneity in coverage recommendations and decision-making. More comprehensive and systematic assessment procedures characterised by increased transparency, in terms of selection of evaluation criteria, their importance and intensity of use, could lead to more rational evidence-based decision-making, possibly improving efficiency in resource allocation, while also raising public confidence and fairness.

Otorhinolaryngological aspects of sleep-related breathing disorders

PubMed Central

Virk, Jagdeep S.

2016-01-01

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are disorders within a wide spectrum of sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD). Given the obesity epidemic, these conditions will become increasingly prevalent and continue to serve as a large economic burden. A thorough clinical evaluation and appropriate investigations will allow stratification of patients into appropriate treatment groups. A multidisciplinary team is required to manage these patients. Patient selection is critical in ensuring successful surgical and non-surgical outcomes. A wide range of options are available and further long term prospective studies, with standardised data capture and outcome goals, are required to evaluate the most appropriate techniques and long term success rates. PMID:26904262

Performance-costs evaluation for urban storm drainage.

PubMed

Baptista, M; Barraud, S; Alfakih, E; Nascimento, N; Fernandes, W; Moura, P; Castro, L

2005-01-01

The design process of urban stormwater systems incorporating BMPs involves more complexity unlike the design of classic drainage systems for which just the technique of pipes is likely to be used. This paper presents a simple decision aid methodology and an associated software (AvDren) concerning urban stormwater systems, devoted to the evaluation and the comparison of drainage scenarios using BMPs according to different technical, sanitary, social environmental and economical aspects. This kind of tool is particularly interesting so as to help the decision makers to select the appropriate alternative and to plan the investments especially for developing countries, with important sanitary problems and severe budget restrictions.

Identification of mine rescue equipment reduction gears technical condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerike, B. L.; Klishin, V. I.; Kuzin, E. G.

2017-09-01

The article presents the reasons for adopting intelligent service of mine belt conveyer drives concerning evaluation of their technical condition based on the diagnostic techniques instead of regular preventative maintenance. The article reveals the diagnostic results of belt conveyer drive reduction gears condition taking into account the parameters of lubricating oil, vibration and temperature. Usage of a complex approach to evaluate technical conditions allows reliability of the forecast to be improved, which makes it possible not only to prevent accidental breakdowns and eliminate unscheduled downtime, but also to bring sufficient economic benefits through reduction of the term and scope of work during overhauls.

The Practice of Health Program Evaluation.

PubMed

Lewis, Sarah R

2017-11-01

The Practice of Health Program Evaluation provides an overview of the evaluation process for public health programs while diving deeper to address select advanced concepts and techniques. The book unfolds evaluation as a three-phased process consisting of identification of evaluation questions, data collection and analysis, and dissemination of results and recommendations. The text covers research design, sampling methods, as well as quantitative and qualitative approaches. Types of evaluation are also discussed, including economic assessment and systems research as relative newcomers. Aspects critical to conducting a successful evaluation regardless of type or research design are emphasized, such as stakeholder engagement, validity and reliability, and adoption of sound recommendations. The book encourages evaluators to document their approach by developing an evaluation plan, a data analysis plan, and a dissemination plan, in order to help build consensus throughout the process. The evaluative text offers a good bird's-eye view of the evaluation process, while offering guidance for evaluation experts on how to navigate political waters and advocate for their findings to help affect change.

Appealing to Good Students in Introductory Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Elizabeth J.; Owen, Ann L.

2003-01-01

Examines effective teaching techniques using a unique data set that allows matching student and instructor characteristics to assess impact on student interest in economics. Finds devoting more time to discussion is effective but varies by type of student. Determines that a using many teaching techniques appeals to learning styles adopted by good…

A Systematic Review of the Level of Evidence in Economic Evaluations of Medical Devices: The Example of Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty.

PubMed

Martelli, Nicolas; Devaux, Capucine; van den Brink, Hélène; Pineau, Judith; Prognon, Patrice; Borget, Isabelle

2015-01-01

Economic evaluations are far less frequently reported for medical devices than for drugs. In addition, little is known about the quality of existing economic evaluations, particularly for innovative devices, such as those used in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. To assess the level of evidence provided by the available economic evaluations for vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. A systematic review of articles in English or French listed in the MEDLINE, PASCAL, COCHRANE and National Health Service Economic Evaluation databases, with limits on publication date (up to the date of the review, March 2014). We included only economic evaluations of vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty. Editorial and methodological articles were excluded. Data were extracted from articles by two authors working independently and using two analysis grids to measure the quality of economic evaluations. Twenty-one studies met our inclusion criteria. All were published between 2008 and 2014. Eighteen (86%) were full economic evaluations. Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) was the most frequent type of economic evaluation, and was present in 11 (52%) studies. Only three CEAs complied fully with the British Medical Journal checklist. The quality of the data sources used in the 21 studies was high, but the CEAs conforming to methodological guidelines did not use high-quality data sources for all components of the analysis. This systematic review shows that the level of evidence in economic evaluations of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty is low, despite the recent publication of a large number of studies. This finding highlights the challenges to be faced to improve the quality of economic evaluations of medical devices.

43 CFR 3141.5-1 - Economic evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Economic evaluation. 3141.5-1 Section 3141... in Special Tar Sand Areas § 3141.5-1 Economic evaluation. Prior to any lease sale for a combined hydrocarbon lease, the authorized officer shall request an economic evaluation of the total hydrocarbon...

43 CFR 3141.5-1 - Economic evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Economic evaluation. 3141.5-1 Section 3141... in Special Tar Sand Areas § 3141.5-1 Economic evaluation. Prior to any lease sale for a combined hydrocarbon lease, the authorized officer shall request an economic evaluation of the total hydrocarbon...

43 CFR 3141.5-1 - Economic evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Economic evaluation. 3141.5-1 Section 3141... in Special Tar Sand Areas § 3141.5-1 Economic evaluation. Prior to any lease sale for a combined hydrocarbon lease, the authorized officer shall request an economic evaluation of the total hydrocarbon...

43 CFR 3141.5-1 - Economic evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Economic evaluation. 3141.5-1 Section 3141... in Special Tar Sand Areas § 3141.5-1 Economic evaluation. Prior to any lease sale for a combined hydrocarbon lease, the authorized officer shall request an economic evaluation of the total hydrocarbon...

The Productivity Dynamics of China's Environmentally Friendly Production Technologies in terms of Wastewater Treatment Techniques

PubMed Central

Yang, Fuxia; Xu, Jiangchuan

2018-01-01

Low economic profit usually reduces the incentive of producers to operate their wastewater treatment technologies effectively. It is necessary to investigate the performance of environmentally friendly production technologies that reduce wastewater discharges and generate economic outputs simultaneously (EPTWs) in China over the past decade. In this paper, we apply the Malmquist-Luenberger productivity index widely used in the field of economics to evaluate the productivity change of EPTWs for 30 administrative provinces in China during 2003–2015. The pathways of the productivity change are further identified by decomposing the productivity index into two components: technological change and technical efficiency change. The results show that China's environmental productivity index associated with wastewater reduction had undergone a downward trend, and evident spatial disparities are observed among the 30 provincial regions. Moreover, the changes of China's environmental productivity over the whole studied period can mainly be attributed to technological progress, while the technical efficiency component has contributed little, although its annual contributing rate is in an increasing trend. PMID:29789803

A methodological proposal to evaluate the cost of duration moral hazard in workplace accident insurance.

PubMed

Martín-Román, Ángel; Moral, Alfonso

2017-12-01

The cost of duration moral hazard in workplace accident insurance has been amply explored by North-American scholars. Given the current context of financial constraints in public accounts, and particularly in the Social Security system, we feel that the issue merits inquiry in the case of Spain. The present research posits a methodological proposal using the econometric technique of stochastic frontiers, which allows us to break down the duration of work-related leave into what we term "economic days" and "medical days". Our calculations indicate that during the 9-year period spanning 2005-2013, the cost of sick leave amongst full-time salaried workers amounted to 6920 million Euros (in constant 2011 Euros). Of this total, and bearing in mind that "economic days" are those attributable to duration moral hazard, over 3000 million Euros might be linked to workplace absenteeism. It is on this figure where economic policy measures might prove more effective.

Three essays in energy and environmental economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redlinger, Michael

This thesis exploits the boom in U.S. oil and gas production to explore several empirical questions in environmental and energy economics. In the first essay, statistical techniques are employed to evaluate learning-by-doing in the Bakken Shale Play. Furthermore, the essay demonstrates organizational forgetting and knowledge spillovers among firms. The results show rates of learning in an important sector the U.S. economy and may have broader lessons for productivity gains and losses. The second essay investigates interfirm learning economies in oil well drilling in terms of productivity improvements and increases in environmental safety. The empirical results improve our understanding of how interfirm relationships influence productivity as well as the drivers of environmental incidents. Lastly, the third essay analyzes the impacts of stricter environmental regulations on oil production and well drilling in North Dakota. The results have particular relevance for policymakers seeking to understand the trade-offs between resource development and environmental quality. These three essays ultimately expand our knowledge of how learning economies occur and the effects of environmental regulations on economic activity.

Performance of optimized McRAPD in identification of 9 yeast species frequently isolated from patient samples: potential for automation.

PubMed

Trtkova, Jitka; Pavlicek, Petr; Ruskova, Lenka; Hamal, Petr; Koukalova, Dagmar; Raclavsky, Vladislav

2009-11-10

Rapid, easy, economical and accurate species identification of yeasts isolated from clinical samples remains an important challenge for routine microbiological laboratories, because susceptibility to antifungal agents, probability to develop resistance and ability to cause disease vary in different species. To overcome the drawbacks of the currently available techniques we have recently proposed an innovative approach to yeast species identification based on RAPD genotyping and termed McRAPD (Melting curve of RAPD). Here we have evaluated its performance on a broader spectrum of clinically relevant yeast species and also examined the potential of automated and semi-automated interpretation of McRAPD data for yeast species identification. A simple fully automated algorithm based on normalized melting data identified 80% of the isolates correctly. When this algorithm was supplemented by semi-automated matching of decisive peaks in first derivative plots, 87% of the isolates were identified correctly. However, a computer-aided visual matching of derivative plots showed the best performance with average 98.3% of the accurately identified isolates, almost matching the 99.4% performance of traditional RAPD fingerprinting. Since McRAPD technique omits gel electrophoresis and can be performed in a rapid, economical and convenient way, we believe that it can find its place in routine identification of medically important yeasts in advanced diagnostic laboratories that are able to adopt this technique. It can also serve as a broad-range high-throughput technique for epidemiological surveillance.

Specific guidelines for assessing and improving the methodological quality of economic evaluations of newborn screening

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Economic evaluation of newborn screening poses specific methodological challenges. Amongst others, these challenges refer to the use of quality adjusted life years (QALYs) in newborns, and which costs and outcomes need to be considered in a full evaluation of newborn screening programmes. Because of the increasing scale and scope of such programmes, a better understanding of the methods of high-quality economic evaluations may be crucial for both producers/authors and consumers/reviewers of newborn screening-related economic evaluations. The aim of this study was therefore to develop specific guidelines designed to assess and improve the methodological quality of economic evaluations in newborn screening. Methods To develop the guidelines, existing guidelines for assessing the quality of economic evaluations were identified through a literature search, and were reviewed and consolidated using a deductive iterative approach. In a subsequent test phase, these guidelines were applied to various economic evaluations which acted as case studies. Results The guidelines for assessing and improving the methodological quality of economic evaluations in newborn screening are organized into 11 categories: “bibliographic details”, “study question and design”, “modelling”, “health outcomes”, “costs”, “discounting”, “presentation of results”, “sensitivity analyses”, “discussion”, “conclusions”, and “commentary”. Conclusions The application of the guidelines highlights important issues regarding newborn screening-related economic evaluations, and underscores the need for such issues to be afforded greater consideration in future economic evaluations. The variety in methodological quality detected by this study reveals the need for specific guidelines on the appropriate methods for conducting sound economic evaluations in newborn screening. PMID:22947299

Evaluation of handling and reuse approaches for the waste generated from MEA-based CO2 capture with the consideration of regulations in the UAE.

PubMed

Nurrokhmah, Laila; Mezher, Toufic; Abu-Zahra, Mohammad R M

2013-01-01

A waste slip-stream is generated from the reclaiming process of monoethanolamine (MEA) based Post-Combustion Capture (PCC). It mainly consists of MEA itself, ammonium, heat-stable salts (HSS), carbamate polymers, and water. In this study, the waste quantity and nature are characterized for Fluor's Econamine FGSM coal-fired CO2 capture base case. Waste management options, including reuse, recycling, treatment, and disposal, are investigated due to the need for a more environmentally sound handling. Regulations, economic potential, and associated costs are also evaluated. The technical, economic, and regulation assessment suggests waste reuse for NOx scrubbing. Moreover, a high thermal condition is deemed as an effective technique for waste destruction, leading to considerations of waste recycling into a coal burner or incineration. As a means of treatment, three secondary-biological processes covering Complete-Mix Activated Sludge (CMAS), oxidation ditch, and trickling filter are designed to meet the wastewater standards in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). From the economic point of view, the value of waste as a NOx scrubbing agent is 6,561,600-7,348,992 USD/year. The secondary-biological treatment cost is 0.017-0.02 USD/ton of CO2, while the cost of an on-site incinerator is 0.031 USD/ton of CO2 captured. In conclusion, secondary biological treatment is found to be the most economical option.

Applications of LANDSAT data to the integrated economic development of Mindoro, Phillipines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, T. W.; Fernandez, J. C.

1977-01-01

LANDSAT data is seen as providing essential up-to-date resource information for the planning process. LANDSAT data of Mindoro Island in the Philippines was processed to provide thematic maps showing patterns of agriculture, forest cover, terrain, wetlands and water turbidity. A hybrid approach using both supervised and unsupervised classification techniques resulted in 30 different scene classes which were subsequently color-coded and mapped at a scale of 1:250,000. In addition, intensive image analysis is being carried out in evaluating the images. The images, maps, and aerial statistics are being used to provide data to seven technical departments in planning the economic development of Mindoro. Multispectral aircraft imagery was collected to compliment the application of LANDSAT data and validate the classification results.

The role of ERTS in the establishment and of a nationwide land cover information system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abram, P.; Tullos, J.

1974-01-01

The economic potential of utilizing an ERTS type satellite in the development, updating, and maintenance of a nation-wide land cover information system in the post-1977 time frame was examined. Several alternative acquisition systems were evaluated for land cover data acquisition, processing, and interpretation costs in order to determine, on a total life cycle cost basis, under which conditions of user demand (i.e., area of coverage, frequency of coverage, timeliness of information, and level of information detail) an ERTS type satellite would be cost effective, and what the annual cost savings benefits would be. It was concluded that a three satellite system with high and low altitude aircraft and ground survey team utilizing automatic interpretation and classification techniques is an economically sound proposal.

Economic evaluations in shoulder pathologies: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Kuye, Ifedayo O; Jain, Nitin B; Warner, Lauren; Herndon, James H; Warner, Jon J P

2012-03-01

Economic evaluations provide decision makers with a tool for reducing health care costs because they assess both the costs and consequences of health care interventions. This study reviewed the quality of published economic evaluations for shoulder pathologies. A MEDLINE search was conducted to identify articles published from 1980 to 2010 that contained "cost" or "economic" combined with terms for several shoulder disorders and treatments. We selected studies that fit the definition of 1 of the 4 routinely performed economic evaluations: cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, and cost-benefit analyses. Study quality was determined by measuring adherence to 6 established health economic principles, as described in the literature. The search retrieved 942 studies. Of these, 32 were determined to be economic evaluations, and 53% of the economic evaluations were published from 2005 to 2010. Only 8 of the 32 studies (25%) adhered to all 6 health economic principles. Publication in a nonsurgical journal (P < .05) or in more recent years (P < .01) was significantly associated with higher quality. Future health care resource allocation will likely be based on the economic feasibility of treatments. Although the number and quality of economic evaluations of shoulder disorders have risen in recent years, the current state of the literature is poor. Given that availability of such data may factor in private and public reimbursement decisions, there is a clear demand for more rigorous economic evaluations. Copyright © 2012 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic evaluations in pain management: principles and methods.

PubMed

Asche, Carl V; Seal, Brian; Jackson, Kenneth C; Oderda, Gary M

2006-01-01

This paper describes how investigators may design, conduct, and report economic evaluations of pharmacotherapy for pain and symptom management. Because economic evaluation of therapeutic interventions is becoming increasingly important, there is a need for guidance on how economic evaluations can be optimally conducted. The steps required to conduct an economic evaluation are described to provide this guidance. Economic evaluations require two or more therapeutic interventions to be compared in relation to costs and effects. There are five types of economic evaluations, based on analysis of: (1) cost-effectiveness, (2) cost-utility, (3) cost-minimization, (4) cost-consequence, and (5) cost-benefit analyses. The six required steps are: identify the perspective of the study; identify the alternatives that will be compared; identify the relevant costs and effects; determine how to collect the cost and effect data; determine how to perform calculation for cost and effects data; and determine the manner in which to depict the results and draw comparisons.

Economic evaluations and their use in infection prevention and control: a narrative review.

PubMed

Rennert-May, Elissa; Conly, John; Leal, Jenine; Smith, Stephanie; Manns, Braden

2018-01-01

The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the different types of economic evaluations that can be utilized by Infection Prevention and Control practitioners with a particular focus on the use of the quality adjusted life year, and its associated challenges. We also highlight existing economic evaluations published within Infection Prevention and Control, research gaps and future directions. Narrative Review. To date the majority of economic evaluations within Infection Prevention and Control are considered partial economic evaluations. Acknowledging the challenges, which include variable utilities within infection prevention and control, a lack of randomized controlled trials, and difficulty in modelling infectious diseases in general, future economic evaluation studies should strive to be consistent with published guidelines for economic evaluations. This includes the use of quality adjusted life years. Further research is required to estimate utility scores of relevance within Infection Prevention and Control.

Cost and Economics for Advanced Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitfield, Jeff

1998-01-01

Market sensitivity and weight-based cost estimating relationships are key drivers in determining the financial viability of advanced space launch vehicle designs. Due to decreasing space transportation budgets and increasing foreign competition, it has become essential for financial assessments of prospective launch vehicles to be performed during the conceptual design phase. As part of this financial assessment, it is imperative to understand the relationship between market volatility, the uncertainty of weight estimates, and the economic viability of an advanced space launch vehicle program. This paper reports the results of a study that evaluated the economic risk inherent in market variability and the uncertainty of developing weight estimates for an advanced space launch vehicle program. The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity of a business case for advanced space flight design with respect to the changing nature of market conditions and the complexity of determining accurate weight estimations during the conceptual design phase. The expected uncertainty associated with these two factors drives the economic risk of the overall program. The study incorporates Monte Carlo simulation techniques to determine the probability of attaining specific levels of economic performance when the market and weight parameters are allowed to vary. This structured approach toward uncertainties allows for the assessment of risks associated with a launch vehicle program's economic performance. This results in the determination of the value of the additional risk placed on the project by these two factors.

Protocol for an HTA report: Does therapeutic writing help people with long-term conditions? Systematic review, realist synthesis and economic modelling

PubMed Central

Meads, C; Nyssen, O P; Wong, G; Steed, L; Bourke, L; Ross, C A; Hayman, S; Field, V; Lord, J; Greenhalgh, T; Taylor, S J C

2014-01-01

Introduction Long-term medical conditions (LTCs) cause reduced health-related quality of life and considerable health service expenditure. Writing therapy has potential to improve physical and mental health in people with LTCs, but its effectiveness is not established. This project aims to establish the clinical and cost-effectiveness of therapeutic writing in LTCs by systematic review and economic evaluation, and to evaluate context and mechanisms by which it might work, through realist synthesis. Methods Included are any comparative study of therapeutic writing compared with no writing, waiting list, attention control or placebo writing in patients with any diagnosed LTCs that report at least one of the following: relevant clinical outcomes; quality of life; health service use; psychological, behavioural or social functioning; adherence or adverse events. Searches will be conducted in the main medical databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library and Science Citation Index. For the realist review, further purposive and iterative searches through snowballing techniques will be undertaken. Inclusions, data extraction and quality assessment will be in duplicate with disagreements resolved through discussion. Quality assessment will include using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Data synthesis will be narrative and tabular with meta-analysis where appropriate. De novo economic modelling will be attempted in one clinical area if sufficient evidence is available and performed according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reference case. PMID:24549165

How to Measure Costs and Benefits of eHealth Interventions: An Overview of Methods and Frameworks

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Information on the costs and benefits of eHealth interventions is needed, not only to document value for money and to support decision making in the field, but also to form the basis for developing business models and to facilitate payment systems to support large-scale services. In the absence of solid evidence of its effects, key decision makers may doubt the effectiveness, which, in turn, limits investment in, and the long-term integration of, eHealth services. However, it is not realistic to conduct economic evaluations of all eHealth applications and services in all situations, so we need to be able to generalize from those we do conduct. This implies that we have to select the most appropriate methodology and data collection strategy in order to increase the transferability across evaluations. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of how to apply economic evaluation methodology in the eHealth field. It provides a brief overview of basic health economics principles and frameworks and discusses some methodological issues and challenges in conducting cost-effectiveness analysis of eHealth interventions. Issues regarding the identification, measurement, and valuation of costs and benefits are outlined. Furthermore, this work describes the established techniques of combining costs and benefits, presents the decision rules for identifying the preferred option, and outlines approaches to data collection strategies. Issues related to transferability and complexity are also discussed. PMID:26552360

Protocol for an HTA report: Does therapeutic writing help people with long-term conditions? Systematic review, realist synthesis and economic modelling.

PubMed

Meads, C; Nyssen, O P; Wong, G; Steed, L; Bourke, L; Ross, C A; Hayman, S; Field, V; Lord, J; Greenhalgh, T; Taylor, S J C

2014-02-18

Long-term medical conditions (LTCs) cause reduced health-related quality of life and considerable health service expenditure. Writing therapy has potential to improve physical and mental health in people with LTCs, but its effectiveness is not established. This project aims to establish the clinical and cost-effectiveness of therapeutic writing in LTCs by systematic review and economic evaluation, and to evaluate context and mechanisms by which it might work, through realist synthesis. Included are any comparative study of therapeutic writing compared with no writing, waiting list, attention control or placebo writing in patients with any diagnosed LTCs that report at least one of the following: relevant clinical outcomes; quality of life; health service use; psychological, behavioural or social functioning; adherence or adverse events. Searches will be conducted in the main medical databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library and Science Citation Index. For the realist review, further purposive and iterative searches through snowballing techniques will be undertaken. Inclusions, data extraction and quality assessment will be in duplicate with disagreements resolved through discussion. Quality assessment will include using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Data synthesis will be narrative and tabular with meta-analysis where appropriate. De novo economic modelling will be attempted in one clinical area if sufficient evidence is available and performed according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reference case.

Is There an Economical Running Technique? A Review of Modifiable Biomechanical Factors Affecting Running Economy.

PubMed

Moore, Isabel S

2016-06-01

Running economy (RE) has a strong relationship with running performance, and modifiable running biomechanics are a determining factor of RE. The purposes of this review were to (1) examine the intrinsic and extrinsic modifiable biomechanical factors affecting RE; (2) assess training-induced changes in RE and running biomechanics; (3) evaluate whether an economical running technique can be recommended and; (4) discuss potential areas for future research. Based on current evidence, the intrinsic factors that appeared beneficial for RE were using a preferred stride length range, which allows for stride length deviations up to 3 % shorter than preferred stride length; lower vertical oscillation; greater leg stiffness; low lower limb moment of inertia; less leg extension at toe-off; larger stride angles; alignment of the ground reaction force and leg axis during propulsion; maintaining arm swing; low thigh antagonist-agonist muscular coactivation; and low activation of lower limb muscles during propulsion. Extrinsic factors associated with a better RE were a firm, compliant shoe-surface interaction and being barefoot or wearing lightweight shoes. Several other modifiable biomechanical factors presented inconsistent relationships with RE. Running biomechanics during ground contact appeared to play an important role, specifically those during propulsion. Therefore, this phase has the strongest direct links with RE. Recurring methodological problems exist within the literature, such as cross-comparisons, assessing variables in isolation, and acute to short-term interventions. Therefore, recommending a general economical running technique should be approached with caution. Future work should focus on interdisciplinary longitudinal investigations combining RE, kinematics, kinetics, and neuromuscular and anatomical aspects, as well as applying a synergistic approach to understanding the role of kinetics.

Multiple-objective evaluation of wastewater treatment plant control alternatives.

PubMed

Flores-Alsina, Xavier; Gallego, Alejandro; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Rodriguez-Roda, Ignasi

2010-05-01

Besides the evaluation of the environmental issues, the correct assessment of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) should take into account several objectives such as: economic e.g. operation costs; technical e.g. risk of suffering microbiology-related TSS separation problems; or legal e.g. accomplishment with the effluent standards in terms of the different pollution loads. For this reason, the main objective of this paper is to show the benefits of complementing the environmental assessment carried out by life cycle assessment with economical, technical and legal criteria. Using a preliminary version of the BSM2 as a case study, different combinations of controllers are implemented, simulated and evaluated. In the following step, the resulting multi-criteria matrix is mined using multivariate statistical techniques. The results showed that the presence of an external carbon source addition, the type of aeration system and the TSS controller are the key elements creating the differences amongst the alternatives. Also, it was possible to characterize the different control strategies according to a set of aggregated criteria. Additionally, the existing synergies amongst different objectives and their consequent trade-offs were identified. Finally, it was discovered that from the initial extensive list of evaluation criteria, only a small set of five are really discriminant, being useful to differentiate within the generated alternatives. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CTS digital video college curriculum-sharing experiment. [Communications Technology Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lumb, D. R.; Sites, M. J.

1974-01-01

NASA-Ames Research Center, Stanford University, and Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, are participating in a joint experiment to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of college curriculum sharing using compressed digital television and the Communications Technology Satellite (CTS). Each university will offer televised courses to the other during the 1976-1977 academic year via CTS, a joint program by NASA and the Canadian Department of Communications. The video compression techniques to be demonstrated will enable economical interconnection of educational institutions using existing and planned domestic satellites.

A Systematic Review of the Level of Evidence in Economic Evaluations of Medical Devices: The Example of Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty

PubMed Central

van den Brink, Hélène; Pineau, Judith; Prognon, Patrice; Borget, Isabelle

2015-01-01

Context Economic evaluations are far less frequently reported for medical devices than for drugs. In addition, little is known about the quality of existing economic evaluations, particularly for innovative devices, such as those used in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. Objective To assess the level of evidence provided by the available economic evaluations for vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. Data Sources A systematic review of articles in English or French listed in the MEDLINE, PASCAL, COCHRANE and National Health Service Economic Evaluation databases, with limits on publication date (up to the date of the review, March 2014). Study Selection We included only economic evaluations of vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty. Editorial and methodological articles were excluded. Data Extraction Data were extracted from articles by two authors working independently and using two analysis grids to measure the quality of economic evaluations. Data Synthesis Twenty-one studies met our inclusion criteria. All were published between 2008 and 2014. Eighteen (86%) were full economic evaluations. Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) was the most frequent type of economic evaluation, and was present in 11 (52%) studies. Only three CEAs complied fully with the British Medical Journal checklist. The quality of the data sources used in the 21 studies was high, but the CEAs conforming to methodological guidelines did not use high-quality data sources for all components of the analysis. Conclusions This systematic review shows that the level of evidence in economic evaluations of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty is low, despite the recent publication of a large number of studies. This finding highlights the challenges to be faced to improve the quality of economic evaluations of medical devices. PMID:26661078

Training by Objectives: An Economic Approach to Management Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odiorne, George S.

In keeping with the current trend in business education, this book adopts a "systems" approach to training. Objectives are first defined, and then training theories and techniques are used to reach them. Economic and behavioral aspects of training are discussed and many new techniques such as sensitivity, motivational, and human relations training…

The Impact of Education on Rural Women's Participation in Political and Economic Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishaw, Alemayehu

2014-01-01

This study endeavored to investigate the impact of education on rural women's participation in political and economic activities. Six hundred rural women and 12 gender Activists were selected for this study from three Zones of Amhara Region, Ethiopia using multi-stage random sampling technique and purposeful sampling techniques respectively.…

The use of economic evaluation in CAM: an introductory framework

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background For CAM to feature prominently in health care decision-making there is a need to expand the evidence-base and to further incorporate economic evaluation into research priorities. In a world of scarce health care resources and an emphasis on efficiency and clinical efficacy, CAM, as indeed do all other treatments, requires rigorous evaluation to be considered in budget decision-making. Methods Economic evaluation provides the tools to measure the costs and health consequences of CAM interventions and thereby inform decision making. This article offers CAM researchers an introductory framework for understanding, undertaking and disseminating economic evaluation. The types of economic evaluation available for the study of CAM are discussed, and decision modelling is introduced as a method for economic evaluation with much potential for use in CAM. Two types of decision models are introduced, decision trees and Markov models, along with a worked example of how each method is used to examine costs and health consequences. This is followed by a discussion of how this information is used by decision makers. Conclusions Undoubtedly, economic evaluation methods form an important part of health care decision making. Without formal training it can seem a daunting task to consider economic evaluation, however, multidisciplinary teams provide an opportunity for health economists, CAM practitioners and other interested researchers, to work together to further develop the economic evaluation of CAM. PMID:21067622

The use of economic evaluation in CAM: an introductory framework.

PubMed

Ford, Emily; Solomon, Daniela; Adams, Jon; Graves, Nicholas

2010-11-11

For CAM to feature prominently in health care decision-making there is a need to expand the evidence-base and to further incorporate economic evaluation into research priorities.In a world of scarce health care resources and an emphasis on efficiency and clinical efficacy, CAM, as indeed do all other treatments, requires rigorous evaluation to be considered in budget decision-making. Economic evaluation provides the tools to measure the costs and health consequences of CAM interventions and thereby inform decision making. This article offers CAM researchers an introductory framework for understanding, undertaking and disseminating economic evaluation. The types of economic evaluation available for the study of CAM are discussed, and decision modelling is introduced as a method for economic evaluation with much potential for use in CAM. Two types of decision models are introduced, decision trees and Markov models, along with a worked example of how each method is used to examine costs and health consequences. This is followed by a discussion of how this information is used by decision makers. Undoubtedly, economic evaluation methods form an important part of health care decision making. Without formal training it can seem a daunting task to consider economic evaluation, however, multidisciplinary teams provide an opportunity for health economists, CAM practitioners and other interested researchers, to work together to further develop the economic evaluation of CAM.

Implementing economic evaluation in simulation-based medical education: challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Lin, Yiqun; Cheng, Adam; Hecker, Kent; Grant, Vincent; Currie, Gillian R

2018-02-01

Simulation-based medical education (SBME) is now ubiquitous at all levels of medical training. Given the substantial resources needed for SBME, economic evaluation of simulation-based programmes or curricula is required to demonstrate whether improvement in trainee performance (knowledge, skills and attitudes) and health outcomes justifies the cost of investment. Current literature evaluating SBME fails to provide consistent and interpretable information on the relative costs and benefits of alternatives. Economic evaluation is widely applied in health care, but is relatively scarce in medical education. Therefore, in this paper, using a focus on SBME, we define economic evaluation, describe the key components, and discuss the challenges associated with conducting an economic evaluation of medical education interventions. As a way forward to the rigorous and state of the art application of economic evaluation in medical education, we outline the steps to gather the necessary information to conduct an economic evaluation of simulation-based education programmes and curricula, and describe the main approaches to conducting an economic evaluation. A properly conducted economic evaluation can help stakeholders (i.e., programme directors, policy makers and curriculum designers) to determine the optimal use of resources in selecting the modality or method of assessment in simulation. It also helps inform broader decision making about allocation of scarce resources within an educational programme, as well as between education and clinical care. Economic evaluation in medical education research is still in its infancy, and there is significant potential for state-of-the-art application of these methods in this area. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

[Minimally invasive reconstruction of the posterolateral corner with simultaneous replacement of the anterior cruciate ligament for complex knee ligament injuries].

PubMed

Vega-España, E A; Vilchis-Sámano, H; Ruiz-Mejía, O

2017-01-01

To evaluate and describe the results of a simultaneous reconstruction with minimally invasive technique of the posterolateral complex (PLC) and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). ACL and PLC reconstruction was performed in seven patients using the technique described, in the period from March to November 2012. All patients were evaluated at six months after the procedure using IKDC and IKSS subjective tests. Their return to work activities and their level of satisfaction were assessed. Six male and one female patients ranging in age between 26 and 46 years were evaluated. The injuries were mostly caused by sports related accidents. All patients were economically active and required an average period of three months of disability. The assessment and outcomes at six months, according to the IKDC scale, were: one patient with IKDC A, four with IKDC B, one patient with C, and one with D. In the subjective scale IKSS, 80% averaged a knee stability of over 90 points, a patient had a 100-point scale and another, of 70 points.

Operational Contract Support: Economic Impact Evaluation and Measures of Effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT: ECONOMIC IMPACT EVALUATION AND MEASURES...DATES COVERED MBA professional report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT: ECONOMIC IMPACT EVALUATION AND MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS 5...evaluation, expeditionary economics , operational contract support, measure of effectiveness 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 89 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY

Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of Units Dedicated to Acute Coronary Syndromes.

PubMed

Azeredo-Da-Silva, André Luis Ferreira; Perini, Silvana; Rigotti Soares, Pedro Henrique; Polaczyk, Carisi Anne

2016-01-01

Dedicated units for the care of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have been submitted to economic evaluations; however, the results have not been systematically presented. To identify and summarize economic outcomes of studies on hospital units dedicated to the initial care of patients with suspected or confirmed ACS. A systematic review of literature to identify economic evaluations of chest pain unit (CPU), coronary care unit (CCU), or equivalent units was done. Two search strategies were used: the first one to identify economic evaluations irrespective of study design, and the second one to identify randomized clinical trials that reported economic outcomes. The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and National Health Service (NHS)Economic Evaluation Database. Data extraction was performed by two independent reviewers. Costs were inflated to 2012 values. Search strategies retrieved five partial economic evaluations based on observational studies, six randomized clinical trials that reported economic outcomes, and five model-based economic evaluations. Overall, cost estimates based on observational studies and randomized clinical trials reported statistically significant cost savings of more than 50% with the adoption of CPU care instead of routine hospitalization or CCU care for suspected low-to-intermediate risk patients with ACS (median per-patient cost US $1,969.89; range US $1,002.12-13,799.15). Model-based economic evaluations reported incremental cost-effectiveness ratios below US $ 50,000/quality-adjusted life-year for all comparisons between intermediate care unit, CPU, or CCU with routine hospital admissions. This finding was sensible to myocardial infarction probability. Published economic evaluations indicate that more intensive care is likely to be cost-effective in comparison to routine hospital admission for patients with suspected ACS. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A simple, physically-based method for evaluating the economic costs of geo-engineering schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrett, T. J.

2009-04-01

The consumption of primary energy (e.g coal, oil, uranium) by the global economy is done in expectation of a return on investment. For geo-engineering schemes, however, the relationship between the primary energy consumption required and the economic return is, at first glance, quite different. The energy costs of a given scheme represent a removal of economically productive available energy to do work in the normal global economy. What are the economic implications of the energy consumption associated with geo-engineering techniques? I will present a simple thermodynamic argument that, in general, real (inflation-adjusted) economic value has a fixed relationship to the rate of global primary energy consumption. This hypothesis will be shown to be supported by 36 years of available energy statistics and a two millennia period of statistics for global economic production. What is found from this analysis is that the value in any given inflation-adjusted 1990 dollar is sustained by a constant 9.7 +/- 0.3 milliwatts of global primary energy consumption. Thus, insofar as geo-engineering is concerned, any scheme that requires some nominal fraction of continuous global primary energy output necessitates a corresponding inflationary loss of real global economic value. For example, if 1% of global energy output is required, at today's consumption rates of 15 TW this corresponds to an inflationary loss of 15 trillion 1990 dollars of real value. The loss will be less, however, if the geo-engineering scheme also enables a demonstrable enhancement to global economic production capacity through climate modification.

Economic evaluation of diagnostic methods used in dentistry. A systematic review.

PubMed

Christell, Helena; Birch, Stephen; Horner, Keith; Lindh, Christina; Rohlin, Madeleine

2014-11-01

To review the literature of economic evaluations regarding diagnostic methods used in dentistry. Four databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, The Cochrane library, the NHS Economic Evaluation Database) were searched for studies, complemented by hand search, until February 2013. Two authors independently screened all titles or abstracts and then applied inclusion and exclusion criteria to select full-text publications published in English, which reported an economic evaluation comparing at least two alternative methods. Studies of diagnostic methods were assessed by four reviewers using a protocol based on the QUADAS tool regarding diagnostic methods and a check-list for economic evaluations. The results of the data extraction were summarized in a structured table and as a narrative description. From 476 identified full-text publications, 160 were considered to be economic evaluations. Only 12 studies (7%) were on diagnostic methods, whilst 78 studies (49%) were on prevention and 70 (40%) on treatment. Among studies on diagnostic methods, there was between-study heterogeneity methodologically, regarding the diagnostic method analysed and type of economic evaluation addressed. Generally, the choice of economic evaluation method was not justified and the perspective of the study not stated. Costing of diagnostic methods varied. A small body of literature addresses economic evaluation of diagnostic methods in dentistry. Thus, there is a need for studies from various perspectives with well defined research questions and measures of the cost and effectiveness. Economic resources in healthcare are finite. For diagnostic methods, an understanding of efficacy provides only part of the information needed for evidence-based practice. This study highlighted a paucity of economic evaluations of diagnostic methods used in dentistry, indicating that much of what we practise lacks sufficient evidence.

Economic evaluation and end-stage renal disease: from basics to bedside.

PubMed

Manns, B J; Taub, K J; Donaldson, C

2000-07-01

Economic evaluation is the comparative analysis of alternative health care interventions in terms of their relative costs (resource use) and effectiveness (health effects). High-quality studies of economic evaluation have been increasingly published in medical journals and read by clinicians, although publication of these studies in nephrology journals has been a more recent phenomenon. This article shows how the basic principles of economics can be applied to health care through the use of economic evaluation. Different types of economic evaluation are discussed, and pitfalls common to such studies are identified. A simple framework is introduced that can be used to interpret the results of economic evaluations. Using this framework, selected therapies for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are categorized to highlight therapies that are very efficient, encourage their use, and draw attention to therapies in current use that are less effective and more expensive (ie, less efficient) than alternative therapy. Using examples pertinent to care of the patient with ESRD, we show how economic evaluation can be used to link medical outcomes, quality of life, and costs in a common index for multiple therapies with disparate outcome measures. This article highlights the need for clinical studies and economic evaluations of therapies in ESRD for which the effects of the therapy on health outcomes and/or costs are unknown.

Current Challenges in Health Economic Modeling of Cancer Therapies: A Research Inquiry

PubMed Central

Miller, Jeffrey D.; Foley, Kathleen A.; Russell, Mason W.

2014-01-01

Background The demand for economic models that evaluate cancer treatments is increasing, as healthcare decision makers struggle for ways to manage their budgets while providing the best care possible to patients with cancer. Yet, after nearly 2 decades of cultivating and refining techniques for modeling the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of cancer therapies, serious methodologic and policy challenges have emerged that question the adequacy of economic modeling as a sound decision-making tool in oncology. Objectives We sought to explore some of the contentious issues associated with the development and use of oncology economic models as informative tools in current healthcare decision-making. Our objective was to draw attention to these complex pharmacoeconomic concerns and to promote discussion within the oncology and health economics research communities. Methods Using our combined expertise in health economics research and economic modeling, we structured our inquiry around the following 4 questions: (1) Are economic models adequately addressing questions relevant to oncology decision makers; (2) What are the methodologic limitations of oncology economic models; (3) What guidelines are followed for developing oncology economic models; and (4) Is the evolution of oncology economic modeling keeping pace with treatment innovation? Within the context of each of these questions, we discuss issues related to the technical limitations of oncology modeling, the availability of adequate data for developing models, and the problems with how modeling analyses and results are presented and interpreted. Discussion There is general acceptance that economic models are good, essential tools for decision-making, but the practice of oncology and its rapidly evolving technologies present unique challenges that make assessing and demonstrating value especially complex. There is wide latitude for improvement in oncology modeling methodologies and how model results are presented and interpreted. Conclusion Complex technical and data availability issues with oncology economic modeling pose serious concerns that need to be addressed. It is our hope that this article will provide a framework to guide future discourse on this important topic. PMID:24991399

Current challenges in health economic modeling of cancer therapies: a research inquiry.

PubMed

Miller, Jeffrey D; Foley, Kathleen A; Russell, Mason W

2014-05-01

The demand for economic models that evaluate cancer treatments is increasing, as healthcare decision makers struggle for ways to manage their budgets while providing the best care possible to patients with cancer. Yet, after nearly 2 decades of cultivating and refining techniques for modeling the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of cancer therapies, serious methodologic and policy challenges have emerged that question the adequacy of economic modeling as a sound decision-making tool in oncology. We sought to explore some of the contentious issues associated with the development and use of oncology economic models as informative tools in current healthcare decision-making. Our objective was to draw attention to these complex pharmacoeconomic concerns and to promote discussion within the oncology and health economics research communities. Using our combined expertise in health economics research and economic modeling, we structured our inquiry around the following 4 questions: (1) Are economic models adequately addressing questions relevant to oncology decision makers; (2) What are the methodologic limitations of oncology economic models; (3) What guidelines are followed for developing oncology economic models; and (4) Is the evolution of oncology economic modeling keeping pace with treatment innovation? Within the context of each of these questions, we discuss issues related to the technical limitations of oncology modeling, the availability of adequate data for developing models, and the problems with how modeling analyses and results are presented and interpreted. There is general acceptance that economic models are good, essential tools for decision-making, but the practice of oncology and its rapidly evolving technologies present unique challenges that make assessing and demonstrating value especially complex. There is wide latitude for improvement in oncology modeling methodologies and how model results are presented and interpreted. Complex technical and data availability issues with oncology economic modeling pose serious concerns that need to be addressed. It is our hope that this article will provide a framework to guide future discourse on this important topic.

A systematic review of health economic models and utility estimation methods in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Németh, Bertalan; Fasseeh, Ahmad; Molnár, Anett; Bitter, István; Horváth, Margit; Kóczián, Kristóf; Götze, Árpád; Nagy, Balázs

2018-06-01

There is a growing need for economic evaluations describing the disease course, as well as the costs and clinical outcomes related to the treatment of schizophrenia. Areas covered: A systematic review on studies describing health economic models in schizophrenia and a targeted literature review on utility mapping algorithms in schizophrenia were carried out. Models found in the review were collated and assessed in detail according to their type and various other attributes. Fifty-nine studies were included in the review. Modeling techniques varied from simple decision trees to complex simulation models. The models used various clinical endpoints as value drivers, 47% of the models used quality-adjusted life years, and eight percent used disability-adjusted life years to measure benefits, while others applied various clinical outcomes. Most models considered patients switching between therapies, and therapeutic adherence, compliance or persistence. The targeted literature review identified four main approaches to map PANSS scores to utility values. Expert commentary: Health economic models developed for schizophrenia showed great variability, with simulation models becoming more frequently used in the last decade. Using PANSS scores as the basis of utility estimations is justifiable.

Multispectral system analysis through modeling and simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malila, W. A.; Gleason, J. M.; Cicone, R. C.

1977-01-01

The design and development of multispectral remote sensor systems and associated information extraction techniques should be optimized under the physical and economic constraints encountered and yet be effective over a wide range of scene and environmental conditions. Direct measurement of the full range of conditions to be encountered can be difficult, time consuming, and costly. Simulation of multispectral data by modeling scene, atmosphere, sensor, and data classifier characteristics is set forth as a viable alternative, particularly when coupled with limited sets of empirical measurements. A multispectral system modeling capability is described. Use of the model is illustrated for several applications - interpretation of remotely sensed data from agricultural and forest scenes, evaluating atmospheric effects in Landsat data, examining system design and operational configuration, and development of information extraction techniques.

Multispectral system analysis through modeling and simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malila, W. A.; Gleason, J. M.; Cicone, R. C.

1977-01-01

The design and development of multispectral remote sensor systems and associated information extraction techniques should be optimized under the physical and economic constraints encountered and yet be effective over a wide range of scene and environmental conditions. Direct measurement of the full range of conditions to be encountered can be difficult, time consuming, and costly. Simulation of multispectral data by modeling scene, atmosphere, sensor, and data classifier characteristics is set forth as a viable alternative, particularly when coupled with limited sets of empirical measurements. A multispectral system modeling capability is described. Use of the model is illustrated for several applications - interpretation of remotely sensed data from agricultural and forest scenes, evaluating atmospheric effects in LANDSAT data, examining system design and operational configuration, and development of information extraction techniques.

Condensate polisher prefiltration study for Laguna Verde Station

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garcia, A.; Oyen, L.C.; Nelson, R.A.

1995-05-01

This paper describes an analysis of the iron and copper in the condensate and the technical and economic assessment of the installation of condensate polisher prefilters in Comision Federal de Electricidad`s Laguna Verde Nuclear Generating Station (LVNGS) north of Veracruz, Mexico. LVNGS is a 654 MWe General Electric BWR plant; Unit 1 has been in commercial operation since July, 1990, and Unit 2 is scheduled to become operational in June, 1995. The primary purpose of this study was to (1) analyze the high iron and copper concentrations in the condensate and feedwater, (2) identify, assess, and evaluate techniques to reducemore » the iron and copper concentrations, and (3) perform a cost-benefit analysis of the installation of implementing the appropriate techniques.« less

Cost-effectiveness of pharmaceutical management for osteoarthritis pain: a systematic review of the literature and recommendations for future economic evaluation.

PubMed

Xie, Feng; Tanvejsilp, Pimwara; Campbell, Kaitryn; Gaebel, Kathryn

2013-05-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent and chronic condition characterized by pain and physical disability. Currently, many treatments are available, and they primarily target pain relief. The objectives of this study were to systematically review economic evaluations for pharmaceutical management of OA pain and to provide methodological recommendations for future economic evaluation. Published literature was identified by searching the following bibliographic databases: MEDLINE (1948-16 November 2011) with In-Process records and EMBASE (1980-2011 Week 47) via Ovid; The Cochrane Library (Issue 4 of 4, 2011) and the Health Economic Evaluations Database (HEED) via Wiley; and PubMed (for non-MEDLINE records). The main search terms were OA and economic evaluations. Two reviewers independently screened all identified articles and extracted the data from those included in the final review. Twelve articles reporting the cost-effectiveness of various pharmaceuticals were included, with five being trial-based and seven being model-based economic evaluations. The mean health economics quality score of the included articles was 84 (minimum-maximum: 63-99). These evaluations varied in study design, treatments compared, and outcomes measured. The existing economic evaluations on pharmaceutical management of OA pain were of acceptable quality. Comparability of economic evaluations could be improved by selecting standard comparators, adopting a longer time horizon, and directly measuring health utilities.

Waste Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Recycling Techniques.

PubMed

Ning, Chao; Lin, Carol Sze Ki; Hui, David Chi Wai; McKay, Gordon

2017-04-01

With the development of technologies and the change of consumer attitudes, the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is increasing annually. As the core part of WEEE, the waste printed circuit board (WPCB) is a dangerous waste but at the same time a rich resource for various kinds of materials. In this work, various WPCB treatment methods as well as WPCB recycling techniques divided into direct treatment (landfill and incineration), primitive recycling technology (pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, biometallurgy and primitive full recovery of NMF-non metallic fraction), and advanced recycling technology (mechanical separation, direct use and modification of NMF) are reviewed and analyzed based on their advantages and disadvantages. Also, the evaluation criteria are discussed including economic, environmental, and gate-to-market ability. This review indicates the future research direction of WPCB recycling should focus on a combination of several techniques or in series recycling to maximize the benefits of process.

Economic evaluation in collaborative hospital drug evaluation reports.

PubMed

Ortega, Ana; Fraga, María Dolores; Marín-Gil, Roberto; Lopez-Briz, Eduardo; Puigventós, Francesc; Dranitsaris, George

2015-09-01

economic evaluation is a fundamental criterion when deciding a drug's place in therapy. The MADRE method (Method for Assistance in making Decisions and Writing Drug Evaluation Reports) is widely used for drug evaluation. This method was developed by the GENESIS group of the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SEFH), including economic evaluation. We intend to improve the economic aspects of this method. As for the direction to take, we have to first analyze our previous experiences with the current methodology and propose necessary improvements. economic evaluation sections in collaboratively conducted drug evaluation reports (as the scientific society, SEFH) with the MADRE method were reviewed retrospectively. thirty-two reports were reviewed, 87.5% of them included an economic evaluation conducted by authors and 65.6% contained published economic evaluations. In 90.6% of the reports, a Budget impact analysis was conducted. The cost per life year gained or per Quality Adjusted Life Year gained was present in 14 reports. Twenty-three reports received public comments regarding the need to improve the economic aspect. Main difficulties: low quality evidence in the target population, no comparative studies with a relevant comparator, non-final outcomes evaluated, no quality of life data, no fixed drug price available, dosing uncertainty, and different prices for the same drug. proposed improvements: incorporating different forms of aid for non-drug costs, survival estimation and adapting published economic evaluations; establishing criteria for drug price selection, decision-making in conditions of uncertainty and poor quality evidence, dose calculation and cost-effectiveness thresholds depending on different situations. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Critical appraisal of published economic evaluations of home care for the elderly.

PubMed

Ramos, Maria Lucia Teixeira; Ferraz, Marcos Bosi; Sesso, Ricardo

2004-01-01

The goal of the study was to appraise the economic evaluations published between 1980 and 2004 of "home care" for the elderly, focusing on the methodological aspects. MEDLINE was searched to identify and assess economic evaluations (defined as an analysis comparing two or more strategies, involving the assessment of both costs and consequences) related to "home care" exclusively for the elderly (65 years or more) and to critically appraise the methodology using five accepted principles used worldwide for conducting economic evaluations. Twenty-four economic evaluations of "home care" for the elderly were identified and the articles were assessed. All five principles were satisfactorily addressed in two studies (8.3%), four principles in four studies (16.7%), three principles in five studies (20.8%), two principles in eight studies (33.3%) and only one principle in five studies (20.8%). A disparity in the methodology of writing economic evaluations compromises the comparisons among outcomes and lately jeopardizes decisions on the choice of the most appropriate healthcare interventions. The methodological principles represent important guidelines but the discussion of the context of the economic evaluation and the special characteristics of some services and populations should be considered for the appropriate use of economic evaluations.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weimar, Mark R.; Daly, Don S.; Wood, Thomas W.

Both nuclear power and nuclear weapons programs should have (related) economic signatures which are detectible at some scale. We evaluated this premise in a series of studies using national economic input/output (IO) data. Statistical discrimination models using economic IO tables predict with a high probability whether a country with an unknown predilection for nuclear weapons proliferation is in fact engaged in nuclear power development or nuclear weapons proliferation. We analyzed 93 IO tables, spanning the years 1993 to 2005 for 37 countries that are either members or associates of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The 2009 OECDmore » input/output tables featured 48 industrial sectors based on International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) Revision 3, and described the respective economies in current country-of-origin valued currency. We converted and transformed these reported values to US 2005 dollars using appropriate exchange rates and implicit price deflators, and addressed discrepancies in reported industrial sectors across tables. We then classified countries with Random Forest using either the adjusted or industry-normalized values. Random Forest, a classification tree technique, separates and categorizes countries using a very small, select subset of the 2304 individual cells in the IO table. A nation’s efforts in nuclear power, be it for electricity or nuclear weapons, are an enterprise with a large economic footprint -- an effort so large that it should discernibly perturb coarse country-level economics data such as that found in yearly input-output economic tables. The neoclassical economic input-output model describes a country’s or region’s economy in terms of the requirements of industries to produce the current level of economic output. An IO table row shows the distribution of an industry’s output to the industrial sectors while a table column shows the input required of each industrial sector by a given industry.« less

The Role of Economic Uncertainty on the Block Economic Value - a New Valuation Approach / Rola Czynnika Niepewności Przy Obliczaniu Wskaźnika Rentowności - Nowe Podejście

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehghani, H.; Ataee-Pour, M.

2012-12-01

The block economic value (EV) is one of the most important parameters in mine evaluation. This parameter can affect significant factors such as mining sequence, final pit limit and net present value. Nowadays, the aim of open pit mine planning is to define optimum pit limits and an optimum life of mine production scheduling that maximizes the pit value under some technical and operational constraints. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the block economic value at the first stage of the mine planning process, correctly. Unrealistic block economic value estimation may cause the mining project managers to make the wrong decision and thus may impose inexpiable losses to the project. The effective parameters such as metal price, operating cost, grade and so forth are always assumed certain in the conventional methods of EV calculation. While, obviously, these parameters have uncertain nature. Therefore, usually, the conventional methods results are far from reality. In order to solve this problem, a new technique is used base on an invented binomial tree which is developed in this research. This method can calculate the EV and project PV under economic uncertainty. In this paper, the EV and project PV were initially determined using Whittle formula based on certain economic parameters and a multivariate binomial tree based on the economic uncertainties such as the metal price and cost uncertainties. Finally the results were compared. It is concluded that applying the metal price and cost uncertainties causes the calculated block economic value and net present value to be more realistic than certain conditions.

Simple and economic colloidal centrifugation protocols may be incorporated into the clinical equine sperm processing procedure.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Cepeda, L; Fernández, A; Crespo, F; Gosálvez, J; Serres, C

2011-03-01

For many years in human assisted-reproduction procedures there have been special protocols to prepare and improve sperm quality. Colloidal centrifugation (CC) is a useful technique that has been proved to enhance semen quality by selection of the best spermatozoa for different species. Its use is recommended to improve fertility of subfertile stallions but current CC protocols are clinically complicated in the equine sperm processing technique due to economic and technical difficulties. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal processing procedures to adapt the use of a CC product (EquiPure™) in the equine reproduction industry. A total of nineteen ejaculates were collected from 10 Purebred Spanish Horses (P.R.E horses) using a Missouri artificial vagina. Gel-free semen aliquots were analyzed prior to treatment (control). Semen was subjected to one of six CC protocols with EquiPure™ and centrifuged samples were statistically evaluated by ANOVA and Duncan tests (p<0.05) for sperm quality and recovery rate. We obtained higher values by colloidal centrifugation in LIN, STR and BCF variables and DNA fragmentation index trended to be lower in most of the CC protocols. The studied protocols were shown to be as efficient in improving equine sperm quality as the current commercial EquiPure™, with the added advantage of being much more economical and simple to use. According to these results it seems to be possible to incorporate single layer and or high colloidal centrifugation volume protocols what would make them simple, economic and clinically viable for the equine sperm processing procedure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Approach of technical decision-making by element flow analysis and Monte-Carlo simulation of municipal solid waste stream.

PubMed

Tian, Bao-Guo; Si, Ji-Tao; Zhao, Yan; Wang, Hong-Tao; Hao, Ji-Ming

2007-01-01

This paper deals with the procedure and methodology which can be used to select the optimal treatment and disposal technology of municipal solid waste (MSW), and to provide practical and effective technical support to policy-making, on the basis of study on solid waste management status and development trend in China and abroad. Focusing on various treatment and disposal technologies and processes of MSW, this study established a Monte-Carlo mathematical model of cost minimization for MSW handling subjected to environmental constraints. A new method of element stream (such as C, H, O, N, S) analysis in combination with economic stream analysis of MSW was developed. By following the streams of different treatment processes consisting of various techniques from generation, separation, transfer, transport, treatment, recycling and disposal of the wastes, the element constitution as well as its economic distribution in terms of possibility functions was identified. Every technique step was evaluated economically. The Mont-Carlo method was then conducted for model calibration. Sensitivity analysis was also carried out to identify the most sensitive factors. Model calibration indicated that landfill with power generation of landfill gas was economically the optimal technology at the present stage under the condition of more than 58% of C, H, O, N, S going to landfill. Whether or not to generate electricity was the most sensitive factor. If landfilling cost increases, MSW separation treatment was recommended by screening first followed with incinerating partially and composting partially with residue landfilling. The possibility of incineration model selection as the optimal technology was affected by the city scale. For big cities and metropolitans with large MSW generation, possibility for constructing large-scale incineration facilities increases, whereas, for middle and small cities, the effectiveness of incinerating waste decreases.

Economic evaluations in gastroenterology in Brazil: A systematic review.

PubMed

de Paiva Haddad, Luciana Bertocco; Decimoni, Tassia Cristina; Turri, Jose Antonio; Leandro, Roseli; de Soárez, Patrícia Coelho

2016-02-06

To systematically review economic evaluations in gastroenterology, relating to Brazil, published between 1980 and 2013. We selected full and partial economic evaluations from among those retrieved by searching the following databases: MEDLINE (PubMed); Excerpta Medica; the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature database; the Scientific Electronic Library Online; the database of the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination; the National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluation Database; the NHS Health Technology Assessment database; the Health Economics database of the Brazilian Virtual Library of Health; Scopus; Web of Science; and the Brazilian Network for the Evaluation of Health Technologies. Two researchers, working independently, selected the studies and extracted the data. We identified 535 health economic evaluations relating to Brazil and published in the 1980-2013 period. Of those 535 articles, only 40 dealt with gastroenterology. Full and partial economic evaluations respectively accounted for 23 (57.5%) and 17 (42.5%) of the 40 studies included. Among the 23 full economic evaluations, there were 11 cost-utility analyses, seven cost-effectiveness analyses, four cost-consequence analyses, and one cost-minimization analysis. Of the 40 studies, 25 (62.5%) evaluated medications; 7 (17.5%) evaluated procedures; and 3 (7.5%) evaluated equipment. Most (55%) of the studies were related to viral hepatitis, and most (63.4%) were published after 2010. Other topics included gastrointestinal cancer, liver transplantation, digestive diseases and hernias. Over the 33-year period examined, the number of such economic evaluations relating to Brazil, especially of those evaluating medications for the treatment of hepatitis, increased considerably. Further studies are needed in order to ensure that expenditures on health care in Brazil are made as fairly and efficiently as possible.

Economic evaluations in gastroenterology in Brazil: A systematic review

PubMed Central

de Paiva Haddad, Luciana Bertocco; Decimoni, Tassia Cristina; Turri, Jose Antonio; Leandro, Roseli; de Soárez, Patrícia Coelho

2016-01-01

AIM: To systematically review economic evaluations in gastroenterology, relating to Brazil, published between 1980 and 2013. METHODS: We selected full and partial economic evaluations from among those retrieved by searching the following databases: MEDLINE (PubMed); Excerpta Medica; the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature database; the Scientific Electronic Library Online; the database of the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination; the National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluation Database; the NHS Health Technology Assessment database; the Health Economics database of the Brazilian Virtual Library of Health; Scopus; Web of Science; and the Brazilian Network for the Evaluation of Health Technologies. Two researchers, working independently, selected the studies and extracted the data. RESULTS: We identified 535 health economic evaluations relating to Brazil and published in the 1980-2013 period. Of those 535 articles, only 40 dealt with gastroenterology. Full and partial economic evaluations respectively accounted for 23 (57.5%) and 17 (42.5%) of the 40 studies included. Among the 23 full economic evaluations, there were 11 cost-utility analyses, seven cost-effectiveness analyses, four cost-consequence analyses, and one cost-minimization analysis. Of the 40 studies, 25 (62.5%) evaluated medications; 7 (17.5%) evaluated procedures; and 3 (7.5%) evaluated equipment. Most (55%) of the studies were related to viral hepatitis, and most (63.4%) were published after 2010. Other topics included gastrointestinal cancer, liver transplantation, digestive diseases and hernias. Over the 33-year period examined, the number of such economic evaluations relating to Brazil, especially of those evaluating medications for the treatment of hepatitis, increased considerably. CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed in order to ensure that expenditures on health care in Brazil are made as fairly and efficiently as possible. PMID:26855823

METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS ALONGSIDE TRIALS OF KNEE PHYSIOTHERAPY.

PubMed

García-Pérez, Lidia; Linertová, Renata; Arvelo-Martín, Alejandro; Guerra-Marrero, Carolina; Martínez-Alberto, Carlos Enrique; Cuéllar-Pompa, Leticia; Escobar, Antonio; Serrano-Aguilar, Pedro

2017-01-01

The methodological quality of an economic evaluation performed alongside a clinical trial can be underestimated if the paper does not report key methodological features. This study discusses methodological assessment issues on the example of a systematic review on cost-effectiveness of physiotherapy for knee osteoarthritis. Six economic evaluation studies included in the systematic review and related clinical trials were assessed using the 10-question check-list by Drummond and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. All economic evaluations were performed alongside a clinical trial but the studied interventions were too heterogeneous to be synthesized. Methodological quality of the economic evaluations reported in the papers was not free of drawbacks, and in some cases, it improved when information from the related clinical trial was taken into account. Economic evaluation papers dedicate little space to methodological features of related clinical trials; therefore, the methodological quality can be underestimated if evaluated separately from the trials. Future economic evaluations should follow more strictly the recommendations about methodology and the authors should pay special attention to the quality of reporting.

Economic evaluation of vaccines in Canada: A systematic review.

PubMed

Chit, Ayman; Lee, Jason K H; Shim, Minsup; Nguyen, Van Hai; Grootendorst, Paul; Wu, Jianhong; Van Exan, Robert; Langley, Joanne M

2016-05-03

Economic evaluations should form part of the basis for public health decision making on new vaccine programs. While Canada's national immunization advisory committee does not systematically include economic evaluations in immunization decision making, there is increasing interest in adopting them. We therefore sought to examine the extent and quality of economic evaluations of vaccines in Canada. We conducted a systematic review of economic evaluations of vaccines in Canada to determine and summarize: comprehensiveness across jurisdictions, studied vaccines, funding sources, study designs, research quality, and changes over time. Searches in multiple databases were conducted using the terms "vaccine," "economics" and "Canada." Descriptive data from eligible manuscripts was abstracted and three authors independently evaluated manuscript quality using a 7-point Likert-type scale scoring tool based on criteria from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). 42/175 articles met the search criteria. Of these, Canada-wide studies were most common (25/42), while provincial studies largely focused on the three populous provinces of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. The most common funding source was industry (17/42), followed by government (7/42). 38 studies used mathematical models estimating expected economic benefit while 4 studies examined post-hoc data on established programs. Studies covered 10 diseases, with 28/42 addressing pediatric vaccines. Many studies considered cost-utility (22/42) and the majority of these studies reported favorable economic results (16/22). The mean quality score was 5.9/7 and was consistent over publication date, funding sources, and disease areas. We observed diverse approaches to evaluate vaccine economics in Canada. Given the increased complexity of economic studies evaluating vaccines and the impact of results on public health practice, Canada needs improved, transparent and consistent processes to review and assess the findings of the economic evaluations of vaccines.

The need for economic evaluation of telemedicine to evolve: the experience in Alberta, Canada.

PubMed

Hailey, David; Jennett, Penny

2004-01-01

Economic evaluation of telemedicine applications is required to provide decision makers in health care with appropriate information on costs and benefits of this information and communications technology. The level of economic evaluation should evolve as telemedicine applications mature. At the basic level, economic evaluation may include basic cost analysis and primarily observational data on nonmonetary benefits. The focus will change as telemedicine programs develop. At this intermediate level, practice patterns and workforce issues are addressed as they affect utilization and costs of telemedicine services. Longer-term economic evaluation, thus far not achieved in telemedicine assessment, should focus on assessment of health outcomes and economic impact. Alberta, Canada has made progress assessing telemedicine applications in psychiatry, radiology, rheumatology, and rehabilitation. Data availability and analytic resources continue to present challenges to economic assessment of telemedicine.

Sustainability assessment of alternative end-uses for disused areas based on multi-criteria decision-making method.

PubMed

De Feo, Giovanni; De Gisi, Sabino; De Vita, Sabato; Notarnicola, Michele

2018-08-01

The main aim of this study was to define and apply a multidisciplinary and multi-criteria approach to sustainability in evaluating alternative end-uses for disused areas. Taking into account the three pillars of sustainability (social, economic and environmental dimension) as well as the need for stakeholders to have new practical instruments, the innovative approach consists of four modules stated (i) sociological, (ii) economic, (iii) environmental and (iv) multi-criteria assessment. By means of a case study on a small Municipality in Southern Italy, three end-uses alternatives, representing three essential services for citizens, were selected: Municipal gym; Market area; Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) separate collection centre. The sociological module was useful to select the most socially sound alternative by means of a consultative referendum, simulated with the use of a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of the population. The economic evaluation was conducted defining the bill of quantities with regarding to six main items (soil handling, landfill disposal tax, public services, structure and services, completion work, equipment and furnishings). The environmental evaluation was performed applying the Delphi method with local technicians who were involved in a qualitative-quantitative evaluation of the three alternatives with regarding to eight possible environmental impacts (landscape impact, soil handling, odour, traffic, noise, atmospheric pollution, wastewater, waste). Finally, the Simple Additive Weighting was used as multi-criteria technique to define alternatives priorities. The obtained results showed how the multi-criteria analysis is a useful decision support tool able to identify transparently and efficiently the most sustainable solutions to a complex social problem. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A commercial microbial enhanced oil recovery process: statistical evaluation of a multi-project database

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Portwood, J.T.

1995-12-31

This paper discusses a database of information collected and organized during the past eight years from 2,000 producing oil wells in the United States, all of which have been treated with special applications techniques developed to improve the effectiveness of MEOR technology. The database, believed to be the first of its kind, has been generated for the purpose of statistically evaluating the effectiveness and economics of the MEOR process in a wide variety of oil reservoir environments, and is a tool that can be used to improve the predictability of treatment response. The information in the database has also beenmore » evaluated to determine which, if any, reservoir characteristics are dominant factors in determining the applicability of MEOR.« less

Evaluating the multiple benefits of marine water quality improvements: how important are health risk reductions?

PubMed

Machado, Fernando S; Mourato, Susana

2002-07-01

Marine water pollution affects many recreational sites around the world. It has impacts not only on recreational activities but also on health risks for those who come into direct contact with the water. Few economic studies have explicitly considered the health risks of bathing in polluted marine waters and none have attempted to separate health benefits from other benefits of marine water quality improvements. This paper uses stated preference techniques to separately evaluate the multiple benefits of improving the quality of marine recreational waters at the Estoril Coast in Portugal. The results indicate that health risk reductions are only a small fraction of the total social benefits of water quality improvements.

Use of economic evaluation in decision making: evidence and recommendations for improvement.

PubMed

Simoens, Steven

2010-10-22

Information about the value for money of a medicine as derived from an economic evaluation can be used for decision-making purposes by policy makers, healthcare payers, healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies. This article illustrates the use of economic evaluation by decision makers and formulates a number of recommendations to enhance the use of such evaluations for decision-making purposes. Over the last decades, there has been a substantial increase in the number of economic evaluations assessing the value for money of medicines. Economic evaluation is used by policy makers and healthcare payers to inform medicine pricing/reimbursement decisions in more and more countries. It is a suitable tool to evaluate medicines and to present information about their value for money to decision makers in a familiar format. In order to fully exploit the use of economic evaluation for decision-making purposes, researchers need to take care to conduct such economic evaluations according to methodologically sound principles. Additionally, researchers need to take into account the decision-making context. They need to identify the various objectives that decision makers pursue and discuss how decision makers can use study findings to attain these objectives. These issues require further attention from researchers, policy makers, healthcare payers, healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies with a view to optimizing the use of economic evaluation in decision making.

Integrating multi-criteria evaluation techniques with geographic information systems for landfill site selection: a case study using ordered weighted average.

PubMed

Gorsevski, Pece V; Donevska, Katerina R; Mitrovski, Cvetko D; Frizado, Joseph P

2012-02-01

This paper presents a GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis approach for evaluating the suitability for landfill site selection in the Polog Region, Macedonia. The multi-criteria decision framework considers environmental and economic factors which are standardized by fuzzy membership functions and combined by integration of analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and ordered weighted average (OWA) techniques. The AHP is used for the elicitation of attribute weights while the OWA operator function is used to generate a wide range of decision alternatives for addressing uncertainty associated with interaction between multiple criteria. The usefulness of the approach is illustrated by different OWA scenarios that report landfill suitability on a scale between 0 and 1. The OWA scenarios are intended to quantify the level of risk taking (i.e., optimistic, pessimistic, and neutral) and to facilitate a better understanding of patterns that emerge from decision alternatives involved in the decision making process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radon removal using point-of-entry water-treatment techniques. Final report, October 1988-June 1990

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kinner, N.E.; Malley, J.P.; Clement, J.A.

1990-10-01

The purpose of the EPA Cooperative Agreement was to evaluate the performance of POE granular activated carbon (GAC), and diffused bubble and bubble place aeration systems treating a ground water supply containing radon (35,620 + or - 6,717 pCi/L). The pattern of loading to the units was designed to simulate daily demand in a household. Each of the systems was evaluated with respect to three primary factors: radon removal efficiency, potential problems, and economics. The radon removal efficiencies of the POE GAC units gradually deteriorated over time from 99.7% to 79% for the GAC without pretreatment and 99.7% to 85%more » for the units preceded by ion exchange. The bubble plate and diffused bubble POE units were very efficient (99%) at removing radon from the water. The resilience is primarly due to the high air to water ratios supplied by the aeration blowers. One major problem associated with the aeration techniques is iron oxidation/precipitation.« less

Consensus-based cross-European recommendations for the identification, measurement and valuation of costs in health economic evaluations: a European Delphi study.

PubMed

van Lier, Lisanne I; Bosmans, Judith E; van Hout, Hein P J; Mokkink, Lidwine B; van den Hout, Wilbert B; de Wit, G Ardine; Dirksen, Carmen D; Nies, Henk L G R; Hertogh, Cees M P M; van der Roest, Henriëtte G

2017-12-19

Differences between country-specific guidelines for economic evaluations complicate the execution of international economic evaluations. The aim of this study was to develop cross-European recommendations for the identification, measurement and valuation of resource use and lost productivity in economic evaluations using a Delphi procedure. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify European guidelines on the execution of economic evaluations or costing studies as part of economic evaluations. Guideline recommendations were extracted by two independent reviewers and formed the basis for the first round of the Delphi study, which was conducted among European health economic experts. During three written rounds, consensus (agreement of 67% or higher) was sought on items concerning the identification, measurement and valuation of costs. Recommendations from 18 guidelines were extracted. Consensus among 26 panellists from 17 European countries was reached on 61 of 68 items. The recommendations from the Delphi study are to adopt a societal perspective, to use patient report for measuring resource use and lost productivity, to value both constructs with use of country-specific standardized/unit costs and to use country-specific discounting rates. This study provides consensus-based cross-European recommendations on how to measure and value resource use and lost productivity in economic evaluations. These recommendations are expected to support researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers in executing and appraising economic evaluations performed in international contexts.

Acknowledging patient heterogeneity in economic evaluation : a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Grutters, Janneke P C; Sculpher, Mark; Briggs, Andrew H; Severens, Johan L; Candel, Math J; Stahl, James E; De Ruysscher, Dirk; Boer, Albert; Ramaekers, Bram L T; Joore, Manuela A

2013-02-01

Patient heterogeneity is the part of variability that can be explained by certain patient characteristics (e.g. age, disease stage). Population reimbursement decisions that acknowledge patient heterogeneity could potentially save money and increase population health. To date, however, economic evaluations pay only limited attention to patient heterogeneity. The objective of the present paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge regarding patient heterogeneity within economic evaluation of healthcare programmes. A systematic literature review was performed to identify methodological papers on the topic of patient heterogeneity in economic evaluation. Data were obtained using a keyword search of the PubMed database and manual searches. Handbooks were also included. Relevant data were extracted regarding potential sources of patient heterogeneity, in which of the input parameters of an economic evaluation these occur, methods to acknowledge patient heterogeneity and specific concerns associated with this acknowledgement. A total of 20 articles and five handbooks were included. The relevant sources of patient heterogeneity (demographics, preferences and clinical characteristics) and the input parameters where they occurred (baseline risk, treatment effect, health state utility and resource utilization) were combined in a framework. Methods were derived for the design, analysis and presentation phases of an economic evaluation. Concerns related mainly to the danger of false-positive results and equity issues. By systematically reviewing current knowledge regarding patient heterogeneity within economic evaluations of healthcare programmes, we provide guidance for future economic evaluations. Guidance is provided on which sources of patient heterogeneity to consider, how to acknowledge them in economic evaluation and potential concerns. The improved acknowledgement of patient heterogeneity in future economic evaluations may well improve the efficiency of healthcare.

Timely and complete publication of economic evaluations alongside randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Thorn, Joanna C; Noble, Sian M; Hollingworth, William

2013-01-01

Little is known about the extent and nature of publication bias in economic evaluations. Our objective was to determine whether economic evaluations are subject to publication bias by considering whether economic data are as likely to be reported, and reported as promptly, as effectiveness data. Trials that intended to conduct an economic analysis and ended before 2008 were identified in the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) register; a random sample of 100 trials was retrieved. Fifty comparator trials were randomly drawn from those not identified as intending to conduct an economic study. The trial start and end dates, estimated sample size and funder type were extracted. For trials planning economic evaluations, effectiveness and economic publications were sought; publication dates and journal impact factors were extracted. Effectiveness abstracts were assessed for whether they reached a firm conclusion that one intervention was most effective. Primary investigators were contacted about reasons for non-publication of results, or reasons for differential publication strategies for effectiveness and economic results. Trials planning an economic study were more likely to be funded by government (p = 0.01) and larger (p = 0.003) than other trials. The trials planning an economic evaluation had a mean of 6.5 (range 2.7-13.2) years since the trial end in which to publish their results. Effectiveness results were reported by 70 %, while only 43 % published economic evaluations (p < 0.001). Reasons for non-publication of economic results included the intervention being ineffective, and staffing issues. Funding source, time since trial end and length of study were not associated with a higher probability of publishing the economic evaluation. However, studies that were small or of unknown size were significantly less likely to publish economic evaluations than large studies (p < 0.001). The authors' confidence in labelling one intervention clearly most effective did not affect the probability of publication. The mean time to publication was 0.7 years longer for cost-effectiveness data than for effectiveness data where both were published (p = 0.001). The median journal impact factor was 1.6 points higher for effectiveness publications than for the corresponding economic publications (p = 0.01). Reasons for publishing in different journals included editorial decision making and the additional time that economic evaluation takes to conduct. Trials that intend to conduct an economic analysis are less likely to report economic data than effectiveness data. Where economic results do appear, they are published later, and in journals with lower impact factors. These results suggest that economic output may be more susceptible than effectiveness data to publication bias. Funders, grant reviewers and trialists themselves should ensure economic evaluations are prioritized and adequately staffed to avoid potential problems with bias.

A Framework Approach to Evaluate Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Public Engagement Strategies for Radioactive Waste Management - 13430

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hermann, Laura

2013-07-01

The complex interplay of politics, economics and culture undermines attempts to define universal best practices for public engagement in the management of nuclear materials. In the international context, communicators must rely on careful adaptation and creative execution to make standard communication techniques succeed in their local communities. Nuclear professionals need an approach to assess and adapt culturally specific public engagement strategies to meet the demands of their particular political, economic and social structures. Using participant interviews and public sources, the Potomac Communications Group reviewed country-specific examples of nuclear-related communication efforts to provide insight into a proposed approach. The review consideredmore » a spectrum of cultural dimensions related to diversity, authority, conformity, proximity and time. Comparisons help to identify cross-cultural influences of various public engagement tactics and to inform a framework for communicators. While not prescriptive in its application, the framework offers a way for communicators to assess the salience of outreach tactics in specific situations. The approach can guide communicators to evaluate and tailor engagement strategies to achieve localized public outreach goals. (authors)« less

Economic evaluation in the field of mental health: conceptual basis.

PubMed

Lima, Ana Flávia Barros da Silva; Cruz, Luciane Nascimento; Polanczyk, Carisi Anne; Maia, Carlos Renato Moreira

2013-01-01

Technological advances in medicine have given rise to a dilemma concerning the use of new health technologies in a context of limited financial resources. In the field of psychiatry, health economic evaluation is a recent method that can assist in choosing interventions with different cost and/or effectiveness for specific populations or conditions. This article introduces clinicians to the fundamental concepts required for critical assessment of health economic evaluations. The authors conducted a review with systematic methods to assess the essential theoretical framework of health economic evaluation and mental health in Brazil through textbooks and studies indexed in the PubMed, Cochrane Central, LILACS, NHS CRD, and REBRATS databases. A total of 334 studies were found using the specified terms (MeSH - Mental Health AND Economic, Medical) and filters (Brazil AND Humans); however, only five Brazilian economic evaluations were found. Economic evaluation studies are growing exponentially in the medical literature. Publications focusing on health economics as applied to psychiatry are increasingly common, but Brazilian data are still very incipient. In a country where financial resources are so scarce, economic analyses are necessary to ensure better use of public resources and wider population access to effective health technologies.

Systematic review of the cost effectiveness of prophylactic treatments in the prevention of gastropathy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

PubMed Central

van Dieten, H. E M; Bos, I.; van Tulder, M. W; Lems, W.; Dijkmans, B.; Boers, M.

2000-01-01

A systematic review on the cost effectiveness of prophylactic treatments of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) induced gastropathy in patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis was conducted. Two reviewers conducted the literature search and the review. Both full and partial economic evaluations published in English, Dutch, or German were included. The criteria list published in the textbook of Drummond was used to determine the quality of the economic evaluations. The methodological quality of three randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in which the economic evaluations obtained probability estimates of NSAID induced gastropathy and adverse events was assessed by a list of internal validity criteria. The conclusions were based on a rating system consisting of four levels of evidence.
  Ten economic evaluations were included; three were based on RCTs. All evaluations studied misoprostol as prophylactic treatment: in one evaluation misoprostol was studied as a fixed component in a combination with diclofenac (Arthrotec). All economic evaluations comprised analytical studies containing a decision tree. The three trials were of high methodological quality. Nine economic evaluations were considered high quality and one economic evaluation was considered of low methodological quality. There is strong evidence (level "A") that the use of misoprostol for the prevention of NSAID induced gastropathy is cost effective, and limited evidence (level "C") that the use of Arthrotec is cost effective. Although the levels of evidence used in this review are arbitrary, it is believed that a qualitative analysis is useful: quantitative analyses in this field are hampered by the heterogeneity of economic evaluations. Existing criteria to evaluate the methodological quality of economic evaluations may need refinement for use in systematic reviews.

 PMID:11005773

Systematic review of the cost effectiveness of prophylactic treatments in the prevention of gastropathy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

PubMed

van Dieten, H E; Korthals-de Bos, I B; van Tulder, M W; Lems, W F; Dijkmans, B A; Boers, M

2000-10-01

A systematic review on the cost effectiveness of prophylactic treatments of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) induced gastropathy in patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis was conducted. Two reviewers conducted the literature search and the review. Both full and partial economic evaluations published in English, Dutch, or German were included. The criteria list published in the textbook of Drummond was used to determine the quality of the economic evaluations. The methodological quality of three randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in which the economic evaluations obtained probability estimates of NSAID induced gastropathy and adverse events was assessed by a list of internal validity criteria. The conclusions were based on a rating system consisting of four levels of evidence. Ten economic evaluations were included; three were based on RCTs. All evaluations studied misoprostol as prophylactic treatment: in one evaluation misoprostol was studied as a fixed component in a combination with diclofenac (Arthrotec). All economic evaluations comprised analytical studies containing a decision tree. The three trials were of high methodological quality. Nine economic evaluations were considered high quality and one economic evaluation was considered of low methodological quality. There is strong evidence (level "A") that the use of misoprostol for the prevention of NSAID induced gastropathy is cost effective, and limited evidence (level "C") that the use of Arthrotec is cost effective. Although the levels of evidence used in this review are arbitrary, it is believed that a qualitative analysis is useful: quantitative analyses in this field are hampered by the heterogeneity of economic evaluations. Existing criteria to evaluate the methodological quality of economic evaluations may need refinement for use in systematic reviews.

Is There a European View on Health Economic Evaluations? Results from a Synopsis of Methodological Guidelines Used in the EUnetHTA Partner Countries.

PubMed

Heintz, Emelie; Gerber-Grote, Andreas; Ghabri, Salah; Hamers, Francoise F; Rupel, Valentina Prevolnik; Slabe-Erker, Renata; Davidson, Thomas

2016-01-01

The objectives of this study were to review current methodological guidelines for economic evaluations of all types of technologies in the 33 countries with organizations involved in the European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA), and to provide a general framework for economic evaluation at a European level. Methodological guidelines for health economic evaluations used by EUnetHTA partners were collected through a survey. Information from each guideline was extracted using a pre-tested extraction template. On the basis of the extracted information, a summary describing the methods used by the EUnetHTA countries was written for each methodological item. General recommendations were formulated for methodological issues where the guidelines of the EUnetHTA partners were in agreement or where the usefulness of economic evaluations may be increased by presenting the results in a specific way. At least one contact person from all 33 EUnetHTA countries (100 %) responded to the survey. In total, the review included 51 guidelines, representing 25 countries (eight countries had no methodological guideline for health economic evaluations). On the basis of the results of the extracted information from all 51 guidelines, EUnetHTA issued ten main recommendations for health economic evaluations. The presented review of methodological guidelines for health economic evaluations and the consequent recommendations will hopefully improve the comparability, transferability and overall usefulness of economic evaluations performed within EUnetHTA. Nevertheless, there are still methodological issues that need to be investigated further.

New directions in valuing geospatial information - how to value goespatial information for policy and business decisioins in the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smart, A. C.

2014-12-01

Governments are increasingly asking for more evidence of the benefits of investing in geospatial data and infrastructure before investing. They are looking for a clearer articulation of the economic, environmental and social benefits than has been possble in the past. Development of techniques has accelerated in the past five years as governments and industry become more involved in the capture and use of geospatial data. However evaluation practitioners have struggled to answer these emerging questions. The paper explores the types of questions that decision makers are asking and discusses the different approaches and methods that have been used recently to answer them. It explores the need for better buisness case models. The emerging approaches are then discussed and their attributes reviewed. These include methods of analysing tengible economic benefits, intangible benefits and societal benefits. The paper explores the use of value chain analysis and real options analysis to better articulate the impacts on international competitiveness and how to value the potential benefits of innovations enabled by the geospatial data that is produced. The paper concludes by illustrating the potential for these techniques in current and future decision making.

Health economic assessment: a methodological primer.

PubMed

Simoens, Steven

2009-12-01

This review article aims to provide an introduction to the methodology of health economic assessment of a health technology. Attention is paid to defining the fundamental concepts and terms that are relevant to health economic assessments. The article describes the methodology underlying a cost study (identification, measurement and valuation of resource use, calculation of costs), an economic evaluation (type of economic evaluation, the cost-effectiveness plane, trial- and model-based economic evaluation, discounting, sensitivity analysis, incremental analysis), and a budget impact analysis. Key references are provided for those readers who wish a more advanced understanding of health economic assessments.

Health Economic Assessment: A Methodological Primer

PubMed Central

Simoens, Steven

2009-01-01

This review article aims to provide an introduction to the methodology of health economic assessment of a health technology. Attention is paid to defining the fundamental concepts and terms that are relevant to health economic assessments. The article describes the methodology underlying a cost study (identification, measurement and valuation of resource use, calculation of costs), an economic evaluation (type of economic evaluation, the cost-effectiveness plane, trial- and model-based economic evaluation, discounting, sensitivity analysis, incremental analysis), and a budget impact analysis. Key references are provided for those readers who wish a more advanced understanding of health economic assessments. PMID:20049237

Issues in the economic evaluation of influenza vaccination by injection of healthy working adults in the US: a review and decision analysis of ten published studies.

PubMed

Hogan, Thomas J

2012-05-01

The objective was to review recent economic evaluations of influenza vaccination by injection in the US, assess their evidence, and conclude on their collective findings. The literature was searched for economic evaluations of influenza vaccination injection in healthy working adults in the US published since 1995. Ten evaluations described in nine papers were identified. These were synopsized and their results evaluated, the basic structure of all evaluations was ascertained, and sensitivity of outcomes to changes in parameter values were explored using a decision model. Areas to improve economic evaluations were noted. Eight of nine evaluations with credible economic outcomes were favourable to vaccination, representing a statistically significant result compared with a proportion of 50% that would be expected if vaccination and no vaccination were economically equivalent. Evaluations shared a basic structure, but differed considerably with respect to cost components, assumptions, methods, and parameter estimates. Sensitivity analysis indicated that changes in parameter values within the feasible range, individually or simultaneously, could reverse economic outcomes. Given stated misgivings, the methods of estimating influenza reduction ascribed to vaccination must be researched to confirm that they produce accurate and reliable estimates. Research is also needed to improve estimates of the costs per case of influenza illness and the costs of vaccination. Based on their assumptions, the reviewed papers collectively appear to support the economic benefits of influenza vaccination of healthy adults. Yet the underlying assumptions, methods and parameter estimates themselves warrant further research to confirm they are accurate, reliable and appropriate to economic evaluation purposes.

A Systematic Review of Scope and Quality of Health Economic Evaluation Studies in Vietnam

PubMed Central

Maher, Rachel Marie; Nguyen, Phuong Khanh; Luu, Hoat Ngoc

2014-01-01

Introduction The application of health economic evaluation (HEE) evidence can play an important role in strategic planning and policy making. This study aimed to assess the scope and quality of existing research, with the goal of elucidating implications for improving the use of HEE evidence in Vietnam. Methods A comprehensive search strategy was developed to search medical online databases (Medline, Google Scholar, and Vietnam Medical Databases) to select all types of HEE studies except cost-only analyses. Two researchers assessed the quality of selected studies using the Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument. Results We selected 26 studies, including 6 published in Vietnam. The majority of these studies focused on infectious diseases (14 studies), with HIV being the most common topic (5 studies). Most papers were cost-effectiveness studies that measured health outcomes using DALY units. Using QHES, we found that the overall quality of HEE studies published internationally was much higher (mean score 88.7+13.3) than that of those published in Vietnam (mean score 67.3+22.9). Lack of costing perspectives, reliable data sources and sensitivity analysis were the main shortcomings of the reviewed studies. Conclusion This review indicates that HEE studies published in Vietnam are limited in scope and number, as well as by several important technical errors or omissions. It is necessary to formalize the process of health economic research in Vietnam and to institutionalize the links between researchers and policy-makers. Additionally, the quality of HEE should be enhanced through education about research techniques, and the implementation of standard HEE guidelines. PMID:25122180

Problem Formulation in Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA) for Environmental Risk Management

PubMed Central

Li, Yan; Thomas, Manoj; Osei-Bryson, Kweku-Muata; Levy, Jason

2016-01-01

With the growing popularity of data analytics and data science in the field of environmental risk management, a formalized Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA) process that incorporates all applicable analytical techniques for a specific environmental risk management problem is essential. In this emerging field, there is limited research dealing with the use of decision support to elicit environmental risk management (ERM) objectives and identify analytical goals from ERM decision makers. In this paper, we address problem formulation in the ERM understanding phase of the KDDA process. We build a DM3 ontology to capture ERM objectives and to inference analytical goals and associated analytical techniques. A framework to assist decision making in the problem formulation process is developed. It is shown how the ontology-based knowledge system can provide structured guidance to retrieve relevant knowledge during problem formulation. The importance of not only operationalizing the KDDA approach in a real-world environment but also evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed procedure is emphasized. We demonstrate how ontology inferencing may be used to discover analytical goals and techniques by conceptualizing Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) exposure shifts based on a multilevel analysis of the level of urbanization (and related economic activity) and the degree of Socio-Economic Deprivation (SED) at the local neighborhood level. The HAPs case highlights not only the role of complexity in problem formulation but also the need for integrating data from multiple sources and the importance of employing appropriate KDDA modeling techniques. Challenges and opportunities for KDDA are summarized with an emphasis on environmental risk management and HAPs. PMID:27983713

Problem Formulation in Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA) for Environmental Risk Management.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Thomas, Manoj; Osei-Bryson, Kweku-Muata; Levy, Jason

2016-12-15

With the growing popularity of data analytics and data science in the field of environmental risk management, a formalized Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA) process that incorporates all applicable analytical techniques for a specific environmental risk management problem is essential. In this emerging field, there is limited research dealing with the use of decision support to elicit environmental risk management (ERM) objectives and identify analytical goals from ERM decision makers. In this paper, we address problem formulation in the ERM understanding phase of the KDDA process. We build a DM³ ontology to capture ERM objectives and to inference analytical goals and associated analytical techniques. A framework to assist decision making in the problem formulation process is developed. It is shown how the ontology-based knowledge system can provide structured guidance to retrieve relevant knowledge during problem formulation. The importance of not only operationalizing the KDDA approach in a real-world environment but also evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed procedure is emphasized. We demonstrate how ontology inferencing may be used to discover analytical goals and techniques by conceptualizing Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) exposure shifts based on a multilevel analysis of the level of urbanization (and related economic activity) and the degree of Socio-Economic Deprivation (SED) at the local neighborhood level. The HAPs case highlights not only the role of complexity in problem formulation but also the need for integrating data from multiple sources and the importance of employing appropriate KDDA modeling techniques. Challenges and opportunities for KDDA are summarized with an emphasis on environmental risk management and HAPs.

Microalgae harvesting techniques: A review.

PubMed

Singh, Gulab; Patidar, S K

2018-07-01

Microalgae with wide range of commercial applications have attracted a lot of attention of the researchers in the last few decades. However, microalgae utilization is not economically sustainable due to high cost of harvesting. A wide range of solid - liquid separation techniques are available for microalgae harvesting. The techniques include coagulation and flocculation, flotation, centrifugation and filtration or a combination of various techniques. Despite the importance of harvesting to the economics and energy balance, there is no universal harvesting technique for microalgae. Therefore, this review focuses on assessing technical, economical and application potential of various harvesting techniques so as to allow selection of an appropriate technology for cost effectively harvesting of microalgae from their culture medium. Various harvesting and concentrating techniques of microalgae were reviewed to suggest order of suitability of the techniques for four main microalgae applications i.e biofuel, human and animal food, high valued products, and water quality restoration. For deciding the order of suitability, a comparative analysis of various harvesting techniques based on the six common criterions (i.e biomass quality, cost, biomass quantity, processing time, species specific and toxicity) has been done. Based on the order of various techniques vis-a-vis various criteria and preferred order of criteria for various applications, order of suitability of harvesting techniques for various applications has been decided. Among various harvesting techniques, coagulation and flocculation, centrifugation and filtration were found to be most suitable for considered applications. These techniques may be used alone or in combination for increasing the harvesting efficiency. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The scope of costs in alcohol studies: Cost-of-illness studies differ from economic evaluations.

PubMed

van Gils, Paul F; Hamberg-van Reenen, Heleen H; van den Berg, Matthijs; Tariq, Luqman; de Wit, G Ardine

2010-07-06

Alcohol abuse results in problems on various levels in society. In terms of health, alcohol abuse is not only an important risk factor for chronic disease, but it is also related to injuries. Social harms which can be related to drinking include interpersonal problems, work problems, violent and other crimes. The scope of societal costs related to alcohol abuse in principle should be the same for both economic evaluations and cost-of-illness studies. In general, economic evaluations report a small part of all societal costs. To determine the cost- effectiveness of an intervention it is necessary that all costs and benefits are included. The purpose of this study is to describe and quantify the difference in societal costs incorporated in economic evaluations and cost-of-illness studies on alcohol abuse. To investigate the economic costs attributable to alcohol in cost-of-illness studies we used the results of a recent systematic review (June 2009). We performed a PubMed search to identify economic evaluations on alcohol interventions. Only economic evaluations in which two or more interventions were compared from a societal perspective were included. The proportion of health care costs and the proportion of societal costs were estimated in both type of studies. The proportion of healthcare costs in cost-of-illness studies was 17% and the proportion of societal costs 83%. In economic evaluations, the proportion of healthcare costs was 57%, and the proportion of societal costs was 43%. The costs included in economic evaluations performed from a societal perspective do not correspond with those included in cost-of-illness studies. Economic evaluations on alcohol abuse underreport true societal cost of alcohol abuse. When considering implementation of alcohol abuse interventions, policy makers should take into account that economic evaluations from the societal perspective might underestimate the total effects and costs of interventions.

Methodological considerations for economic modelling of latent tuberculous infection screening in migrants.

PubMed

Shedrawy, J; Siroka, A; Oxlade, O; Matteelli, A; Lönnroth, K

2017-09-01

Tuberculosis (TB) in migrants from endemic to low-incidence countries results mainly from the reactivation of latent tuberculous infection (LTBI). LTBI screening policies for migrants vary greatly between countries, and the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of the different approaches is weak and heterogeneous. The aim of this review was to assess the methodology used in published economic evaluations of LTBI screening among migrants to identify critical methodological options that must be considered when using modelling to determine value for money from different economic perspectives. Three electronic databases were searched and 10 articles were included. There was considerable variation across this small number of studies with regard to economic perspective, main outcomes, modelling technique, screening options and target populations considered, as well as in parameterisation of the epidemiological situation, test accuracy, efficacy, safety and programme performance. Only one study adopted a societal perspective; others adopted a health care or wider government perspective. Parameters representing the cascade of screening and treating LTBI varied widely, with some studies using highly aspirational scenarios. This review emphasises the need for a more harmonised approach for economic analysis, and better transparency in how policy options and economic perspectives influence methodological choices. Variability is justifiable for some parameters. However, sufficient data are available to standardise others. A societal perspective is ideal, but can be challenging due to limited data. Assumptions about programme performance should be based on empirical data or at least realistic assumptions. Results should be interpreted within specific contexts and policy options, with cautious generalisations.

Conceptualizing an Inclusive Economic Approach to GLBT Labor Issues: Current Research and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Loo, Jasper B.; Rocco, Tonette S.

2008-01-01

We discuss how economic theory has analyzed the effects of being GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender). We find that economics has focused on finding earnings differentials between GLBT and heterosexuals. The issue is, however, whether the standard analytical techniques available in economics, can be applied to sexual minorities. A number…

Seinfeld and Economics: How to Achieve the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy in an Introductory Economics Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deal, John; Hegde, S. Aaron

2013-01-01

This paper presents an innovative teaching technique, the utilization of a popular sitcom to teach an introductory economics course. Using clips from the television show "Seinfeld," instructors can present the oft-perceived difficult, yet basic, economic concepts in an amenable manner, which also enables the achieving of higher levels of…

Economic Evaluations of Pathology Tests, 2010-2015: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Watts, Rory D; Li, Ian W; Geelhoed, Elizabeth A; Sanfilippo, Frank M; St John, Andrew

2017-09-01

Concerns about pathology testing such as the value provided by new tests and the potential for inappropriate utilization have led to a greater need to assess costs and benefits. Economic evaluations are a formal method of analyzing costs and benefits, yet for pathology tests, questions remain about the scope and quality of the economic evidence. To describe the extent and quality of published evidence provided by economic evaluations of pathology tests from 2010 to 2015. Economic evaluations relating to pathology tests from 2010 to 2015 were reviewed. Eight databases were searched for published studies, and details recorded for the country, clinical focus, type of testing, and consideration of sensitivity, specificity, and false test results. The reporting quality of studies was assessed using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist and cost-effectiveness ratios were analyzed for publication bias. We found 356 economic evaluations of pathology tests, most of which regarded developed countries. The most common economic evaluations were cost-utility analyses and the most common clinical focus was infectious diseases. More than half of the studies considered sensitivity and specificity, but few studies considered the impact of false test results. The average Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist score was 17 out of 24. Cost-utility ratios were commonly less than $10,000/quality-adjusted life-year or more than $200,000/quality-adjusted life-year. The number of economic evaluations of pathology tests has increased in recent years, but the rate of increase has plateaued. Furthermore, the quality of studies in the past 5 years was highly variable, and there is some question of publication bias in reporting cost-effectiveness ratios. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

48 CFR 1252.216-70 - Evaluation of offers subject to an economic price adjustment clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... subject to an economic price adjustment clause. 1252.216-70 Section 1252.216-70 Federal Acquisition... Text of Provisions and Clauses 1252.216-70 Evaluation of offers subject to an economic price adjustment... Subject to an Economic Price Adjustment Clause (OCT 1994) Offers shall be evaluated without an amount for...

48 CFR 1252.216-70 - Evaluation of offers subject to an economic price adjustment clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... subject to an economic price adjustment clause. 1252.216-70 Section 1252.216-70 Federal Acquisition... Text of Provisions and Clauses 1252.216-70 Evaluation of offers subject to an economic price adjustment... Subject to an Economic Price Adjustment Clause (OCT 1994) Offers shall be evaluated without an amount for...

48 CFR 1252.216-70 - Evaluation of offers subject to an economic price adjustment clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... subject to an economic price adjustment clause. 1252.216-70 Section 1252.216-70 Federal Acquisition... Text of Provisions and Clauses 1252.216-70 Evaluation of offers subject to an economic price adjustment... Subject to an Economic Price Adjustment Clause (OCT 1994) Offers shall be evaluated without an amount for...

48 CFR 3052.216-70 - Evaluation of offers subject to an economic price adjustment clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... subject to an economic price adjustment clause. 3052.216-70 Section 3052.216-70 Federal Acquisition... Evaluation of offers subject to an economic price adjustment clause. As prescribed in (HSAR) 48 CFR 3016.203... Economic Price Adjustment Clause (JUN 2006) Offers shall be evaluated without adding an amount for an...

48 CFR 1252.216-70 - Evaluation of offers subject to an economic price adjustment clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... subject to an economic price adjustment clause. 1252.216-70 Section 1252.216-70 Federal Acquisition... Text of Provisions and Clauses 1252.216-70 Evaluation of offers subject to an economic price adjustment... Subject to an Economic Price Adjustment Clause (OCT 1994) Offers shall be evaluated without an amount for...

Application and evaluation of forecasting methods for municipal solid waste generation in an Eastern-European city.

PubMed

Rimaityte, Ingrida; Ruzgas, Tomas; Denafas, Gintaras; Racys, Viktoras; Martuzevicius, Dainius

2012-01-01

Forecasting of generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in developing countries is often a challenging task due to the lack of data and selection of suitable forecasting method. This article aimed to select and evaluate several methods for MSW forecasting in a medium-scaled Eastern European city (Kaunas, Lithuania) with rapidly developing economics, with respect to affluence-related and seasonal impacts. The MSW generation was forecast with respect to the economic activity of the city (regression modelling) and using time series analysis. The modelling based on social-economic indicators (regression implemented in LCA-IWM model) showed particular sensitivity (deviation from actual data in the range from 2.2 to 20.6%) to external factors, such as the synergetic effects of affluence parameters or changes in MSW collection system. For the time series analysis, the combination of autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and seasonal exponential smoothing (SES) techniques were found to be the most accurate (mean absolute percentage error equalled to 6.5). Time series analysis method was very valuable for forecasting the weekly variation of waste generation data (r (2) > 0.87), but the forecast yearly increase should be verified against the data obtained by regression modelling. The methods and findings of this study may assist the experts, decision-makers and scientists performing forecasts of MSW generation, especially in developing countries.

The migraine ACE model: evaluating the impact on time lost and medical resource Use.

PubMed

Caro, J J; Caro, G; Getsios, D; Raggio, G; Burrows, M; Black, L

2000-04-01

To describe the Migraine Adaptive Cost-Effectiveness Model in the context of an analysis of a simulated population of Canadian patients with migraine. The high prevalence of migraine and its substantial impact on patients' ability to function normally present a significant economic burden to society. In light of the recent availability of improved pharmaceutical treatments, a model was developed to assess their economic impact. The Migraine Adaptive Cost-Effectiveness Model incorporates the costs of time lost from both work and nonwork activities, as well as medical resource and medication use. Using Monte Carlo techniques, the model simulates the experience of a population of patients with migraine over the course of 1 year. As an example, analyses of a Canadian population were carried out using data from a multinational trial, surveys, national statistics, and the available literature. Using customary therapy, mean productivity losses (amounting to 84 hours of paid work time, 48 hours of unpaid work time, and 113 hours of leisure time lost) were estimated to cost $1949 (in 1997 Canadian dollars) per patient, with medical expenditures adding an average of $280 to the cost of illness. With customary treatment patterns, the costs of migraine associated with reduced functional capacity are substantial. The migraine model represents a flexible tool for the economic evaluation of different migraine treatments in various populations.

Diagnosing Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review of economic evaluations.

PubMed

Handels, Ron L H; Wolfs, Claire A G; Aalten, Pauline; Joore, Manuela A; Verhey, Frans R J; Severens, Johan L

2014-03-01

The objective of this study is to systematically review the literature on economic evaluations of interventions for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related disorders and to describe their general and methodological characteristics. We focused on the diagnostic aspects of the decision models to assess the applicability of existing decision models for the evaluation of the recently revised diagnostic research criteria for AD. PubMed and the National Institute for Health Research Economic Evaluation database were searched for English-language publications related to economic evaluations on diagnostic technologies. Trial-based economic evaluations were assessed using the Consensus on Health Economic Criteria list. Modeling studies were assessed using the framework for quality assessment of decision-analytic models. The search retrieved 2109 items, from which eight decision-analytic modeling studies and one trial-based economic evaluation met all eligibility criteria. Diversity among the study objective and characteristics was considerable and, despite considerable methodological quality, several flaws were indicated. Recommendations were focused on diagnostic aspects and the applicability of existing models for the evaluation of recently revised diagnostic research criteria for AD. Copyright © 2014 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methodological Challenges to Economic Evaluations of Vaccines: Is a Common Approach Still Possible?

PubMed

Jit, Mark; Hutubessy, Raymond

2016-06-01

Economic evaluation of vaccination is a key tool to inform effective spending on vaccines. However, many evaluations have been criticised for failing to capture features of vaccines which are relevant to decision makers. These include broader societal benefits (such as improved educational achievement, economic growth and political stability), reduced health disparities, medical innovation, reduced hospital beds pressures, greater peace of mind and synergies in economic benefits with non-vaccine interventions. Also, the fiscal implications of vaccination programmes are not always made explicit. Alternative methodological frameworks have been proposed to better capture these benefits. However, any broadening of the methodology for economic evaluation must also involve evaluations of non-vaccine interventions, and hence may not always benefit vaccines given a fixed health-care budget. The scope of an economic evaluation must consider the budget from which vaccines are funded, and the decision-maker's stated aims for that spending to achieve.

[Detection of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin (MRSA) by molecular biology (Cepheid GeneXpert IL, GeneOhm BD, Roche LightCycler, Hyplex Evigene I2A) versus screening by culture: Economic and practical strategy for the laboratory].

PubMed

Laudat, P; Demondion, E; Jouannet, C; Charron, J; Chillou, C; Salaun, V; Mankikian, B

2012-06-01

Patients admitted in cardiac surgery and cardiac ICU at the Clinic Saint-Gatien (Tours) are screened for MRSA at the entrance by nasal swab and culture on blood agar and selective chromogenic medium made by addition of cefoxitin: BBL CHROMagar MRSA-II BD (result obtained at Day +1). We wanted to assess the molecular biology techniques available to obtain a result at day 0 for the majority of patients and to define an economic and practical strategy for the laboratory. We studied four molecular biology techniques: Cepheid GeneXpert (Cepheid) GeneOhm (BD), LightCycler (Roche) and Hyplex (I2A). Upon reception, nasal swabs were treated by culture, considered as reference, and one of the techniques of molecular biology, according to the manufacturer's notice. We conducted four studies between April 2008 and February 2009 to obtain a significant sample for each of them. By screening we mean a method that allows us to exclude MRSA carriage for patients waiting for surgery, and not to change patient management: for example, lack of isolation measures specific to entrance, no modification of antibiotic prophylaxis during surgery and no isolation measures in the immediate postoperative period. The criteria we considered for this evaluation were: (1) technician time: time to perform one or a series of sample(s) n=10 or more (about 2h for all techniques except GeneXpert 75min), level of skilled competences (no specific training for GeneXpert); (2) results: turnaround time (all molecular biology techniques), ease of reading and results interpretations (no specialized training required for GeneXpert), failure or not (12% of failure of internal controls for GeneOhm); (3) economic: cost for one or a series of sample(s) (n=10 or more), if we considered X as the reference culture cost (10 X Hyplex and LightCycler, 20 X and 40 X for GeneXpert GeneOhm); (4) NPV: 100% for GeneXpert and LightCycler. At same sensitivity, no technique, including culture, can solve alone our problem, which is: (1) get results at day 0 for batch of samples (n<10): all molecular biology techniques; (2) beyond 10 samples: LightCycler (Roche) automated or Hyplex (I2A) manual; (3) when the result at day 1 is sufficient, the use of chromogenic agar with a reading of less than 18h as BBL CHROMagar MRSA II (BD) remains the most economical; (4) to be sure that a patient admitted at Day 0, even at night's emergency, is not carrier of MRSA: only Cepheid GeneXpert technology (IL). Furthermore, Cepheid GeneXpert (IL) allows performing several tests in parallel. The rapidity of this system can help control the transmission and make better use of antibiotics. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Approach to economic evaluation in primary care: review of a useful tool for primary care reform.

PubMed

McBrien, Kerry A; Manns, Braden

2013-06-01

To present an overview of the methods of economic evaluation in health care, using examples of studies applicable to primary care. The main concepts discussed in this article were derived from expert opinion and substantiated with well respected textbooks and comprehensive Canadian guidelines. Examples of cost-effectiveness estimates were taken from the published literature. We describe the basic principles of economic evaluation and provide an introduction to its interpretation, using examples of studies applicable to primary care. A basic understanding of health economics will allow primary care practitioners to begin to incorporate economic data, including that from economic evaluations when they are available, into resource planning for their practices.

Trans aqueductal, third ventricle - Cervical subarachnoid stenting: An adjuvant cerebro spinal fluid diversion procedure in midline posterior fossa tumors with hydrocephalus: The technical note and case series.

PubMed

Teegala, Ramesh

2016-01-01

Persistent or progressive hydrocephalus is one of the complex problems of posterior fossa tumors associated with hydrocephalus. The author evaluated the effectiveness of single-stage tumor decompression associated with a stent technique (trans aqueductal third ventricle - Cervical subarachnoid stenting) as an adjuvant cerebro spinal fluid (CSF) diversion procedure in controlling the midline posterior fossa tumors with hydrocephalus. Prospective clinical case series of 15 patients was evaluated from July 2006 to April 2012. Fifteen clinicoradiological diagnosed cases of midline posterior fossa tumors with hydrocephalus were included in this study. All the tumors were approached through the cerebello medullary (telo velo tonsilar) fissure technique. Following the excision of the posterior fossa tumor, a sizable stent was placed across the aqueduct from the third ventricle to the cervical subarachnoid space. There were nine male and six female patients with an average age of 23 years. Complete tumor excision could be achieved in 12 patients and subtotal excision with clearance of aqueduct in remaining three patients. Hydrocephalus was controlled effectively in all the patients. There were no stent-related complications. This study showed the reliability of single-stage tumor excision followed by placement of aqueductal stent. The success rate of this technique is comparable to those of conventional CSF diversion procedures. This is a simple, safe, and effective procedure for the management of persistent and or progressive hydrocephalus. This technique may be very useful in situations where the patient's follow-up is compromised and the patients who are from a poor economic background. Long-term results need further evaluation to assess the overall functioning of this stent technique.

Potential Biomarkers and Their Applications for Rapid and Reliable Detection of Malaria

PubMed Central

Jain, Priyamvada; Chakma, Babina; Patra, Sanjukta; Goswami, Pranab

2014-01-01

Malaria has been responsible for the highest mortality in most malaria endemic countries. Even after decades of malaria control campaigns, it still persists as a disease of high mortality due to improper diagnosis and rapidly evolving drug resistant malarial parasites. For efficient and economical malaria management, WHO recommends that all malaria suspected patients should receive proper diagnosis before administering drugs. It is thus imperative to develop fast, economical, and accurate techniques for diagnosis of malaria. In this regard an in-depth knowledge on malaria biomarkers is important to identify an appropriate biorecognition element and utilize it prudently to develop a reliable detection technique for diagnosis of the disease. Among the various biomarkers, plasmodial lactate dehydrogenase and histidine-rich protein II (HRP II) have received increasing attention for developing rapid and reliable detection techniques for malaria. The widely used rapid detection tests (RDTs) for malaria succumb to many drawbacks which promotes exploration of more efficient economical detection techniques. This paper provides an overview on the current status of malaria biomarkers, along with their potential utilization for developing different malaria diagnostic techniques and advanced biosensors. PMID:24804253

Economic Evaluation in Global Perspective: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Recent Literature.

PubMed

Pitt, Catherine; Goodman, Catherine; Hanson, Kara

2016-02-01

We present a bibliometric analysis of recently published full economic evaluations of health interventions and reflect critically on the implications of our findings for this growing field. We created a database drawing on 14 health, economic, and/or general literature databases for articles published between 1 January 2012 and 3 May 2014 and identified 2844 economic evaluations meeting our criteria. We present findings regarding the sensitivity, specificity, and added value of searches in the different databases. We examine the distribution of publications between countries, regions, and health areas studied and compare the relative volume of research with disease burden. We analyse authors' country and institutional affiliations, journals and journal type, language, and type of economic evaluation conducted. More than 1200 economic evaluations were published annually, of which 4% addressed low-income countries, 4% lower-middle-income countries, 14% upper-middle-income countries, and 83% high-income countries. Across country income levels, 53, 54, 86, and 100% of articles, respectively, included an author based in a country within the income level studied. Biomedical journals published 74% of economic evaluations. The volume of research across health areas correlates more closely with disease burden in high-income than in low-income and middle-income countries. Our findings provide an empirical basis for further study on methods, research prioritization, and capacity development in health economic evaluation. © 2016 The Authors. Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Criteria for implementing interventions to reduce health inequalities in primary care settings in European regions.

PubMed

Daponte, Antonio; Bernal, Mariola; Bolívar, Julia; Mateo, Inmaculada; Salmi, Louis-Rachid; Barsanti, Sara; Berghmans, Luc; Piznal, Ewelina; Bourgueil, Yann; Marquez, Soledad; González, Ingrid; Carriazo, Ana; Maros-Szabo, Zsuzsanna; Ménival, Solange

2014-12-01

The current social and political context is generating socio-economic inequalities between and within countries, causing and widening health inequalities. The development and implementation of interventions in primary health care (PHC) settings seem unavoidable. Attempts have been made to draw up adequate criteria to guide and evaluate interventions but none for the specific case of PHC. This methodological article aims to contribute to this field by developing and testing a set of criteria for guiding and evaluating real-life interventions to reduce health inequalities in PHC settings in European regions. A literature review, nominal group technique, survey and evaluation template were used to design and test a set of criteria. The questionnaire was answered by professionals in charge of 46 interventions carried out in 12 European countries, and collected detailed information about each intervention. Third-party experts scored the interventions using the set of evaluation criteria proposed. Nine criteria to guide and evaluate interventions were proposed: relevance, appropriateness, applicability, innovation, quality assurance, adequacy of resources, effectiveness in the process, effectiveness in results and mainstreaming. A working definition was drawn up for each one. These criteria were then used to evaluate the interventions identified. The set of criteria drawn up to guide the design, implementation and evaluation of interventions to reduce health inequalities in PHC will be a useful instrument to be applied to interventions under development for culturally, politically and socio-economically diverse PHC contexts throughout Europe. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Operating systems in the air transportation environment.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cherry, G. W.

1971-01-01

Consideration of the problems facing air transport at present, and to be expected in the future. In the Northeast Corridor these problems involve community acceptance, airway and airport congestion and delays, passenger acceptance, noise reduction, and improvements in low-density short-haul economics. In the development of a superior short-haul operating system, terminal-configured vs cruise-configured vehicles are evaluated. CTOL, STOL, and VTOL aircraft of various types are discussed. In the field of noise abatement, it is shown that flight procedural techniques are capable of supplementing ?quiet engine' technology.

Image Matrix Processor for Volumetric Computations Final Report CRADA No. TSB-1148-95

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberson, G. Patrick; Browne, Jolyon

The development of an Image Matrix Processor (IMP) was proposed that would provide an economical means to perform rapid ray-tracing processes on volume "Giga Voxel" data sets. This was a multi-phased project. The objective of the first phase of the IMP project was to evaluate the practicality of implementing a workstation-based Image Matrix Processor for use in volumetric reconstruction and rendering using hardware simulation techniques. Additionally, ARACOR and LLNL worked together to identify and pursue further funding sources to complete a second phase of this project.

CAD-design, stress analysis and in vitro evaluation of three leaflet blood-pump valves.

PubMed

Knierbein, B; Rosarius, N; Unger, A; Reul, H; Rau, G

1992-07-01

The computer-supported development of valves for cardiac-assist devices or artificial hearts is shown in relation to plastic technology. A CAD-system is used for the design development, whereas the dimensioning of the critical and highly stressed membranes is examined by FEM-analyses. Economic manufacture is permitted by the combined thermoforming-dip moulding technique; the blood-side components are made from biocompatible polyurethane to minimize blood damage. The first long-term results in the test set-up are compared to the FEM results.

Performability evaluation of the SIFT computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, J. F.; Furchtgott, D. G.; Wu, L. T.

1979-01-01

Performability modeling and evaluation techniques are applied to the SIFT computer as it might operate in the computational evironment of an air transport mission. User-visible performance of the total system (SIFT plus its environment) is modeled as a random variable taking values in a set of levels of accomplishment. These levels are defined in terms of four attributes of total system behavior: safety, no change in mission profile, no operational penalties, and no economic process whose states describe the internal structure of SIFT as well as relavant conditions of the environment. Base model state trajectories are related to accomplishment levels via a capability function which is formulated in terms of a 3-level model hierarchy. Performability evaluation algorithms are then applied to determine the performability of the total system for various choices of computer and environment parameter values. Numerical results of those evaluations are presented and, in conclusion, some implications of this effort are discussed.

Social impact analysis: monetary valuation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wainger, Lisa A.; Johnston, Robert J.; Bagstad, Kenneth J.; Casey, Frank; Vegh, Tibor

2014-01-01

This section provides basic guidance for using and conducting economic valuation, including criteria for judging whether valuation is appropriate for supporting decisions. It provides an introduction to the economic techniques used to measure changes in social welfare and describes which methods may be most appropriate for use in valuing particular ecosystem services. Rather than providing comprehensive valuation instructions,it directs readers to additional resources.More generally, it establishes that the valuation of ecosystem services is grounded in a long history of non-market valuation and discusses how ecosystem services valuation can be conducted within established economic theory and techniques.

MEDICAL DEVICE PRICES IN ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS.

PubMed

Akpinar, Ilke; Jacobs, Philip; Husereau, Don

2015-01-01

Economic evaluations, although not formally used in purchasing decisions for medical devices in Canada, are still being conducted and published. The aim of this study was to examine the way that prices have been included in Canadian economic evaluations of medical devices. We conducted a review of the economic concepts and implications of methods used for economic evaluations of the eleven most implanted medical devices from the Canadian perspective. We found Canadian economic studies for five of the eleven medical devices and identified nineteen Canadian studies. Overall, the device costs were important components of total procedure cost, with an average ratio of 44.1 %. Observational estimates of the device costs were obtained from buyers or sellers in 13 of the 19 studies. Although most of the devices last more than 1 year, standard costing methods for capital equipment was never used. In addition, only eight studies included a sensitivity analysis for the device cost. None of the sensitivity analyses were based on actual price distributions. Economic evaluations are potentially important for policy making, but although they are being conducted, there is no standardized approach for incorporating medical device prices in economic analyses. Our review provides suggestions for improvements in how the prices are incorporated for economic evaluations of medical devices.

Humans, 'things' and space: costing hospital infection control interventions.

PubMed

Page, K; Graves, N; Halton, K; Barnett, A G

2013-07-01

Previous attempts at costing infection control programmes have tended to focus on accounting costs rather than economic costs. For studies using economic costs, estimates tend to be quite crude and probably underestimate the true cost. One of the largest costs of any intervention is staff time, but this cost is difficult to quantify and has been largely ignored in previous attempts. To design and evaluate the costs of hospital-based infection control interventions or programmes. This article also discusses several issues to consider when costing interventions, and suggests strategies for overcoming these issues. Previous literature and techniques in both health economics and psychology are reviewed and synthesized. This article provides a set of generic, transferable costing guidelines. Key principles such as definition of study scope and focus on large costs, as well as pitfalls (e.g. overconfidence and uncertainty), are discussed. These new guidelines can be used by hospital staff and other researchers to cost their infection control programmes and interventions more accurately. Copyright © 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Logic of energy conservation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schipper, L.; Darmstadter, J.

1978-01-01

Energy conservation is seen as a complex mix of economic and moral considerations, which should be applied to specific strategies for changing waste handling, lifestyle, growth, etc., after meaningful payoffs have been researched and identified. The author recommends measuring energy conservation in terms of primary energy resources saved, and evaluating changes in consumption patterns on the basis of indirect as well as direct energy use. He feels consideration should be given to the intensity of energy use as well as to before-and-after comparisons. Human factors and wellbeing need to be included in shifts from energy-intensive to labor-intensive equipment. Curtailment ofmore » energy supplies as a conservation technique is seen as less effective than substitution, changes in habit and attitude, and changes in the types of goods and services demanded. While add-on investments have short-term value, new capital-equipment investments offer greater energy and economic savings in the long run. The author cautions against using strict rules to determine energy efficiency by relating energy to gross national product. Conservation is seen as an economic stimulus when compared to the costs of not conserving. 14 references. (DCK)« less

Economic and political influence on tobacco tax rates: a nationwide analysis of 31 years of state data.

PubMed

Golden, Shelley D; Ribisl, Kurt M; Perreira, Krista M

2014-02-01

We evaluated state-level characteristics associated with cigarette excise taxes before and after the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). We gathered annual cigarette excise tax rates for all US states and the District of Columbia, between 1981 and 2011, and matched each state-year tax rate with economic, political, attitudinal, and demographic characteristics, creating a data set of 1581 observations. We used panel data regression techniques to assess relationships between key characteristics and state cigarette excise tax levels. Cigarette excise tax rates grew at more than 6 times the rate of inflation between 1981 and 2011; growth varied by time period and region. We found strong negative associations between Republican Party control of state legislatures and governors' offices and state cigarette tax rates. Tobacco production, citizens' attitudes toward taxes and tobacco control, and cigarette tax rates in neighboring states were significantly associated with cigarette tax rates. We found no association between unemployment and tax rates. Future excise tax growth rate may depend more on the political leanings of state legislators, and the attitudes of the people they represent, than on economic circumstances.

Economic evaluations of health technologies in Dutch healthcare decision-making: a qualitative study of the current and potential use, barriers, and facilitators.

PubMed

Roseboom, Kitty J; van Dongen, Johanna M; Tompa, Emile; van Tulder, Maurits W; Bosmans, Judith E

2017-01-26

The use of economic evaluations in healthcare decision-making can potentially help decision-makers in allocating scarce resources as efficiently as possible. Over a decade ago, the use of such studies was found to be limited in Dutch healthcare decision-making, but their current use is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to provide insight into the current and potential use of economic evaluations in Dutch healthcare decision-making and to identify barriers and facilitators to the use of such studies. Interviews containing semi-structured and structured questions were conducted among Dutch healthcare decision-makers. Participants were purposefully selected and special efforts were made to include decision-makers working at the macro- (national), meso- (local/regional), and micro-level (patient setting). During the interviews, a topic list was used that was based on the research questions and a literature search, and was developed in consultation with the Dutch National Healthcare Institute. Responses to the semi-structured questions were analyzed using a constant comparative approach. As for the structured questions, participants' definitions of various economic evaluation concepts were scored as either being "correct" or "incorrect" by two researchers, and summary statistics were prepared. Sixteen healthcare decision-makers were interviewed and two health economists. Decision-makers' knowledge of economic evaluations was only modest, and their current use appeared to be limited. Nonetheless, decision-makers recognized the importance of economic evaluations and saw several opportunities for extending their use at the macro- and meso-level, but not at the micro-level. The disparity between the limited use and recognition of the importance of economic evaluations is likely due to the many barriers decision-makers experience preventing their use (e.g. lack of resources, lack of formal willingness-to-pay threshold). Possible facilitators for extending the use of economic evaluations include, amongst others, educating decision-makers and the general population about economic evaluations and presenting economic evaluation results in a clearer and more understandable way. This study demonstrated that the current use and impact of economic evaluations in Dutch healthcare decision-making is limited at best. Therefore, strategies are needed to overcome the barriers that currently prevent economic evaluations from being used extensively.

Novel challenges of multi-society investigator-initiated studies: a paradigm shift for technique and technology evaluation.

PubMed

Schwaitzberg, Steven D; Hawes, Robert H; Rattner, David W; Kochman, Michael L

2013-08-01

The introduction of innovative techniques and novel technologies into clinical practice is a challenge that confronts all aspects of healthcare delivery. Upheaval from shrinking research funding and declining healthcare reimbursements now forces patients, doctors, hospitals, payers, regulators, and even health systems into conflict as new therapies struggle to find a place in the therapeutic armamentarium. The escalating costs of healthcare force all parties to consider both the medical risks/benefits as well as the economic efficiency of proposed tools and therapies. We highlight these challenges by examining the process of initiating and conducting a "society-as-investigator" clinical trial to assess the safety of the natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) approach to cholecystectomy in the context of the issues that confront technology diffusion today.

Economic Evaluation of Obesity Prevention in Early Childhood: Methods, Limitations and Recommendations.

PubMed

Döring, Nora; Mayer, Susanne; Rasmussen, Finn; Sonntag, Diana

2016-09-13

Despite methodological advances in the field of economic evaluations of interventions, economic evaluations of obesity prevention programmes in early childhood are seldom conducted. The aim of the present study was to explore existing methods and applications of economic evaluations, examining their limitations and making recommendations for future cost-effectiveness assessments. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, the British National Health Service Economic Evaluation Databases and EconLit. Eligible studies included trial-based or simulation-based cost-effectiveness analyses of obesity prevention programmes targeting preschool children and/or their parents. The quality of included studies was assessed. Of the six studies included, five were intervention studies and one was based on a simulation approach conducted on secondary data. We identified three main conceptual and methodological limitations of their economic evaluations: Insufficient conceptual approach considering the complexity of childhood obesity, inadequate measurement of effects of interventions, and lack of valid instruments to measure child-related quality of life and costs. Despite the need for economic evaluations of obesity prevention programmes in early childhood, only a few studies of varying quality have been conducted. Moreover, due to methodological and conceptual weaknesses, they offer only limited information for policy makers and intervention providers. We elaborate reasons for the limitations of these studies and offer guidance for designing better economic evaluations of early obesity prevention.

Economic Evaluation of Obesity Prevention in Early Childhood: Methods, Limitations and Recommendations

PubMed Central

Döring, Nora; Mayer, Susanne; Rasmussen, Finn; Sonntag, Diana

2016-01-01

Despite methodological advances in the field of economic evaluations of interventions, economic evaluations of obesity prevention programmes in early childhood are seldom conducted. The aim of the present study was to explore existing methods and applications of economic evaluations, examining their limitations and making recommendations for future cost-effectiveness assessments. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, the British National Health Service Economic Evaluation Databases and EconLit. Eligible studies included trial-based or simulation-based cost-effectiveness analyses of obesity prevention programmes targeting preschool children and/or their parents. The quality of included studies was assessed. Of the six studies included, five were intervention studies and one was based on a simulation approach conducted on secondary data. We identified three main conceptual and methodological limitations of their economic evaluations: Insufficient conceptual approach considering the complexity of childhood obesity, inadequate measurement of effects of interventions, and lack of valid instruments to measure child-related quality of life and costs. Despite the need for economic evaluations of obesity prevention programmes in early childhood, only a few studies of varying quality have been conducted. Moreover, due to methodological and conceptual weaknesses, they offer only limited information for policy makers and intervention providers. We elaborate reasons for the limitations of these studies and offer guidance for designing better economic evaluations of early obesity prevention. PMID:27649218

A systematic review of economic evaluations of health and health-related interventions in Bangladesh

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Economic evaluation is used for effective resource allocation in health sector. Accumulated knowledge about economic evaluation of health programs in Bangladesh is not currently available. While a number of economic evaluation studies have been performed in Bangladesh, no systematic investigation of the studies has been done to our knowledge. The aim of this current study is to systematically review the published articles in peer-reviewed journals on economic evaluation of health and health-related interventions in Bangladesh. Methods Literature searches was carried out during November-December 2008 with a combination of key words, MeSH terms and other free text terms as suitable for the purpose. A comprehensive search strategy was developed to search Medline by the PubMed interface. The first specific interest was mapping the articles considering the areas of exploration by economic evaluation and the second interest was to scrutiny the methodological quality of studies. The methodological quality of economic evaluation of all articles has been scrutinized against the checklist developed by Evers Silvia and associates. Result Of 1784 potential articles 12 were accepted for inclusion. Ten studies described the competing alternatives clearly and only two articles stated the perspective of their articles clearly. All studies included direct cost, incurred by the providers. Only one study included the cost of community donated resources and volunteer costs. Two studies calculated the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER). Six of the studies applied some sort of sensitivity analysis. Two of the studies discussed financial affordability of expected implementers and four studies discussed the issue of generalizability for application in different context. Conclusion Very few economic evaluation studies in Bangladesh are found in different areas of health and health-related interventions, which does not provide a strong basis of knowledge in the area. The most frequently applied economic evaluation is cost-effectiveness analysis. The majority of the studies did not follow the scientific method of economic evaluation process, which consequently resulted into lack of robustness of the analyses. Capacity building on economic evaluation of health and health-related programs should be enhanced. PMID:21771343

Economic Evaluation of Dual-Level-Residence Solar-Energy System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

105-page report is one in a series of economic evaluations of different solar-energy installations. Using study results, an optimal collector area is chosen that minimizes life-cycle costs. From this optimal size thermal and economic performance is evaluated.

The importance of employing computational resources for the automation of drug discovery.

PubMed

Rosales-Hernández, Martha Cecilia; Correa-Basurto, José

2015-03-01

The application of computational tools to drug discovery helps researchers to design and evaluate new drugs swiftly with a reduce economic resources. To discover new potential drugs, computational chemistry incorporates automatization for obtaining biological data such as adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET), as well as drug mechanisms of action. This editorial looks at examples of these computational tools, including docking, molecular dynamics simulation, virtual screening, quantum chemistry, quantitative structural activity relationship, principal component analysis and drug screening workflow systems. The authors then provide their perspectives on the importance of these techniques for drug discovery. Computational tools help researchers to design and discover new drugs for the treatment of several human diseases without side effects, thus allowing for the evaluation of millions of compounds with a reduced cost in both time and economic resources. The problem is that operating each program is difficult; one is required to use several programs and understand each of the properties being tested. In the future, it is possible that a single computer and software program will be capable of evaluating the complete properties (mechanisms of action and ADMET properties) of ligands. It is also possible that after submitting one target, this computer-software will be capable of suggesting potential compounds along with ways to synthesize them, and presenting biological models for testing.

A comparison of the energy use of in situ product recovery techniques for the Acetone Butanol Ethanol fermentation.

PubMed

Outram, Victoria; Lalander, Carl-Axel; Lee, Jonathan G M; Davis, E Timothy; Harvey, Adam P

2016-11-01

The productivity of the Acetone Butanol Ethanol (ABE) fermentation can be significantly increased by application of various in situ product recovery (ISPR) techniques. There are numerous technically viable processes, but it is not clear which is the most economically viable in practice. There is little available information about the energy requirements and economics of ISPR for the ABE fermentation. This work compares various ISPR techniques based on UniSim process simulations of the ABE fermentation. The simulations provide information on the process energy and separation efficiency, which is fed into an economic assessment. Perstraction was the only technique to reduce the energy demand below that of a batch process, by approximately 5%. Perstraction also had the highest profit increase over a batch process, by 175%. However, perstraction is an immature technology, so would need significant development before being integrated to an industrial process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

United States transportation fuel economics (1975 - 1995)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, A. D., III

1975-01-01

The United States transportation fuel economics in terms of fuel resources options, processing alternatives, and attendant economics for the period 1975 to 1995 are evaluated. The U.S. energy resource base is reviewed, portable fuel-processing alternatives are assessed, and selected future aircraft fuel options - JP fuel, liquid methane, and liquid hydrogen - are evaluated economically. Primary emphasis is placed on evaluating future aircraft fuel options and economics to provide guidance for future strategy of NASA in the development of aviation and air transportation research and technology.

Twenty years of using economic evaluations for drug reimbursement decisions: what has been achieved?

PubMed

Drummond, Michael

2013-12-01

The objective of this article is to examine the impact of economic evaluation on the reimbursement process for pharmaceuticals. The changes in the structure of reimbursement policies necessary to incorporate economic evaluation have been accomplished without major difficulty in most jurisdictions. However, several methodological differences in international guidelines for economic evaluation exist, only some of which can easily be justified. A number of beneficial changes in reimbursement processes have also been observed, such as a trend toward requiring the measurement of more meaningful clinical end points and increased engagement between manufacturers, drug regulators, and payers. A consistent finding in studies of reimbursement decisions is that economic considerations have been influential, second only to the strength of the clinical evidence for the drug of interest. The impact of economic evaluation on the allocation of health care resources is hard to ascertain because little is known about the extent to which reimbursement decisions actually lead to changes in health care practice. However, there is evidence that economic evaluation has assisted price negotiations and enabled reimbursement agencies to target drugs to those patients who will benefit the most.

Health Economics as Rhetoric: The Limited Impact of Health Economics on Funding Decisions in Four European Countries.

PubMed

Franken, Margreet; Heintz, Emelie; Gerber-Grote, Andreas; Raftery, James

2016-12-01

A response to the challenge of high-cost treatments in health care has been economic evaluation. Cost-effectiveness analysis presented as cost per quality-adjusted life-years gained has been controversial, raising heated support and opposition. To assess the impact of economic evaluation in decisions on what to fund in four European countries and discuss the implications of our findings. We used a protocol to review the key features of the application of economic evaluation in reimbursement decision making in England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, reporting country-specific highlights. Although the institutions and processes vary by country, health economic evaluation has had limited impact on restricting access of controversial high-cost drugs. Even in those countries that have gone the furthest, ways have been found to avoid refusing to fund high-cost drugs for particular diseases including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and orphan diseases. Economic evaluation may, however, have helped some countries to negotiate price reductions for some drugs. It has also extended to the discussion of clinical effectiveness to include cost. The differences in approaches but similarities in outcomes suggest that health economic evaluation be viewed largely as rhetoric (in D.N. McCloskey's terms in The Rhetoric of Economics, 1985). This is not to imply that economics had no impact: rather that it usually contributed to the discourse in ways that differed by country. The reasons for this no doubt vary by perspective, from political science to ethics. Economic evaluation may have less to do with rationing or denial of medical treatments than to do with expanding the discourse used to discuss such issues. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health economic evaluations in reimbursement decision making in the Netherlands: time to take it seriously?

PubMed

Franken, Margreet; Koopmanschap, Marc; Steenhoek, Adri

2014-01-01

Health technology assessment already informed Dutch policymaking in the early 1980s. Evidence of health economic evaluations is, however, only systematically used in drug reimbursement decision making. Outpatient drugs with an added therapeutic value and expensive specialist drugs require evidence from an economic evaluation. Due to many exemptions, however, the availability of evidence of health economic evaluations remains rather low. Although the Dutch reimbursement agency suggested a cost-effectiveness threshold range depending on the severity of the disease (i.e., €10,000 - 80,000 per Quality Adjusted Life Year), it was never confirmed nor endorsed by the Ministry of Health. It is highly questionable whether health economic evaluations currently play a role in actual Dutch reimbursement decision making. Although the requirements exist in policy procedures, recent cases show that Dutch policymakers experience great difficulties in putting restrictions on reimbursement based on evidence from health economic evaluations. The near future will show whether the need will increase to base decisions on societal value for money, and whether Dutch policymakers show the courage to take health economic evaluations seriously. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Economic evaluations of clinical pharmacy services: 2006-2010.

PubMed

Touchette, Daniel R; Doloresco, Fred; Suda, Katie J; Perez, Alexandra; Turner, Stuart; Jalundhwala, Yash; Tangonan, Maria C; Hoffman, James M

2014-08-01

Studies have consistently evidenced the positive clinical, economic, and humanistic benefits of pharmacist-directed patient care in a variety of settings. Given the vast differences in clinical outcomes associated with evaluated clinical pharmacy services (CPS), more detail as to the nature of the CPS is needed to better understand observed differences in economic outcomes. With the growing trend of outpatient pharmacy services, these economic evaluations serve as viable decision-making tools in choosing the most effective and cost-effective pharmacy programs. We previously conducted three systematic reviews to evaluate the economic impact of CPS from 1988 to 2005. In this systematic review, our objectives were to describe and evaluate the quality of economic evaluations of CPS published between 2006 and 2010, with the goal of informing administrators and practitioners as to their cost-effectiveness. We searched the scientific literature by using the Medline, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Embase, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases to identify studies describing CPS published from 2006 to 2010. Studies meeting our inclusion criteria (original research articles that evaluated CPS and described economic and clinical outcomes) were reviewed by two investigators. Methodology used, economic evaluation type, CPS setting and type, and clinical and economic outcome results were extracted. Results were informally compared with previous systematic reviews. Of 3587 potential studies identified, 25 met inclusion criteria. Common CPS settings were hospital (36%), community (32%), and clinic or hospital-based ambulatory practices (28%). CPS types were disease state management (48%), general pharmacotherapeutic monitoring (24%), target drug programs (8%), and patient education (4%). Two studies (8%) listed CPS as medication therapy management. Costs were evaluated in 24 studies (96%) and sufficiently described in 13 (52%). Clinical or humanistic outcomes were evaluated in 20 studies (80%) and were sufficiently described in 18 (72%). Control groups were included in 16 (70%) of 23 studies not involving modeling. Study assumptions and limitations were stated and justified in eight studies (32%). Conclusions and recommendations were considered justified and based on results in 24 studies (96%). Eighteen studies (72%) involved full economic evaluation. The mean ± SD study quality score for full economic evaluations (18 studies) was 60.4 ± 22.3 of a possible 100 points. Benefit-cost ratios from three studies ranged from 1.05:1 to 25.95:1, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of five studies were calculated and reported. Fewer studies documented the economic impact of CPS from 2006-2010 than from 2001-2005, although a higher proportion involved controlled designs and were full economic evaluations. Evaluations of ambulatory practices were increasingly common. CPS were generally considered cost-effective or provided a good benefit-cost ratio. © 2014 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Batch technique to evaluate the efficiency of different natural adsorbents for defluoridation from groundwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Pankaj; Saraswat, Chitresh; Mishra, Binaya Kumar; Avtar, Ram; Patel, Hiral; Patel, Asha; Sharma, Tejal; Patel, Roshni

2017-09-01

Fluoride pollution (with concentration >1.0 mg/L) in groundwater has become a global threat in the recent past due to the lesser availability of potable groundwater resource. In between several defluoridation techniques discovered so far, the adsorption process proved to be most economic and efficient. This study is an effort to evaluate defluoridation efficiency of powdered rice husk, fine chopped rice husk and sawdust by the batch adsorption process. Optimum defluoridation capacity is achieved by optimizing various parameters, viz. dose of adsorbent, pH, contact time and initial concentration. It was found that all three materials can be employed for the defluoridation technique, but powdered rice husk is the best adsorbent in the midst of all three. Powdered rice husk showed fluoride removal efficiency ranging between 85 and 90 % in the contact period of 7 h only in conditions of all optimized parameter. Following this parameter optimization, adsorption efficiency was also evaluated at natural pH of groundwater to minimize the cost of defluoridation. No significant difference was found between fluoride adsorption at optimized pH (pH = 4) and natural one (pH = 7), which concludes that powdered rice husk can be efficiently used for the defluoridation technique at field scale. The adsorption isotherm using this adsorbent perfectly followed Langmuir isotherms. The value of calculated separation factor also suggests the favourable adsorption of fluoride onto this adsorbent under the conditions used for the experiments. The field application for defluoridation of groundwater using this adsorbent (based on pH of natural groundwater there and seasonal variation of temperature) showed the high success rate.

An economic evaluation of adaptive e-learning devices to promote weight loss via dietary change for people with obesity.

PubMed

Miners, Alec; Harris, Jody; Felix, Lambert; Murray, Elizabeth; Michie, Susan; Edwards, Phil

2012-07-07

The prevalence of obesity is over 25 % in many developed countries. Obesity is strongly associated with an increased risk of fatal and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Therefore it has become a major public health concern for many economies. E-learning devices are a relatively novel approach to promoting dietary change. The new generation of devices are 'adaptive' and use interactive electronic media to facilitate teaching and learning. E-Learning has grown out of recent developments in information and communication technology, such as the Internet, interactive computer programmes, interactive television and mobile phones. The aim of this study is to assess the cost-effectiveness of e-learning devices as a method of promoting weight loss via dietary change. An economic evaluation was performed using decision modelling techniques. Outcomes were expressed in terms of Quality-Adjusted Life-Years (QALYs) and costs were estimated from a health services perspective. All parameter estimates were derived from the literature. A systematic review was undertaken to derive the estimate of relative treatment effect. The base case results from the e-Learning Economic Evaluation Model (e-LEEM) suggested that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was approximately £102,000 per Quality-Adjusted Life-Year (QALY) compared to conventional care. This finding was robust to most alternative assumptions, except a much lower fixed cost of providing e-learning devices. Expected value of perfect information (EVPI) analysis showed that while the individual level EVPI was arguably negligible, the population level value was between £37 M and £170 M at a willingness to pay between £20,000 to £30,000 per additional QALY. The current economic evidence base suggests that e-learning devices for managing the weight of obese individuals are unlikely to be cost-effective unless their fixed costs are much lower than estimated or future devices prove to be much more effective.

Convergence yet Continued Complexity: A Systematic Review and Critique of Health Economic Models of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Allen, Felicity; Montgomery, Stephen; Maruszczak, Maciej; Kusel, Jeanette; Adlard, Nicholas

2015-09-01

Several disease-modifying therapies have marketing authorizations for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Given their appraisal by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the objective was to systematically identify and critically evaluate the structures and assumptions used in health economic models of disease-modifying therapies for RRMS in the United Kingdom. Embase, MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Web site were searched systematically on March 3, 2014, to identify articles relating to health economic models in RRMS with a UK perspective. Data sources, techniques, and assumptions of the included models were extracted, compared, and critically evaluated. Of 386 results, 26 full texts were evaluated, leading to the inclusion of 18 articles (relating to 12 models). Early models varied considerably in method and structure, but convergence over time toward a Markov model with states based on disability score, a 1-year cycle length, and a lifetime time horizon was apparent. Recent models also allowed for disability improvement within the natural history of the condition. Considerable variety remains, with increasing numbers of comparators, the need for treatment sequencing, and different assumptions around efficacy waning and treatment withdrawal. Despite convergence over time to a similar Markov structure, there are still significant discrepancies between health economic models of RRMS in the United Kingdom. Differing methods, assumptions, and data sources render the comparison of model implementation and results problematic. The commonly used Markov structure leads to problems such as incapability to deal with heterogeneous populations and multiplying complexity with the addition of treatment sequences; these would best be solved by using alternative models such as discrete event simulations. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Role of Information Provision in Economic Evaluations of Newborn Bloodspot Screening: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Wright, Stuart J; Jones, Cheryl; Payne, Katherine; Dharni, Nimarta; Ulph, Fiona

2015-12-01

The extent to which economic evaluations have included the healthcare resource and outcome-related implications of information provision in national newborn bloodspot screening programmes (NBSPs) is not currently known. To identify if, and how, information provision has been incorporated into published economic evaluations of NBSPs. A systematic review of economic evaluations of NBSPs (up to November 2014) was conducted. Three electronic databases were searched (Ovid: Medline, Embase, CINAHL) using an electronic search strategy combining a published economic search filter with terms related to national NBSPs and screening-related technologies. These electronic searches were supplemented by searching the NHS Economic Evaluations Database (NHS EED) and hand-searching identified study reference lists. The results were tabulated and summarised as part of a narrative synthesis. A total of 27 economic evaluations [screening-related technologies (n = 11) and NBSPs (n = 16)] were identified. The majority of economic evaluations did not quantify the impact of information provision in terms of healthcare costs or outcomes. Five studies did include an estimate of the time cost associated with information provision. Four studies included a value to reflect the disutility associated with parental anxiety caused by false-positive results, which was used as a proxy for the impact of imperfect information. A limited evidence base currently quantifies the impact of information provision on the healthcare costs and impact on the users of NBSPs; the parents of newborns. We suggest that economic evaluations of expanded NBSPs need to take account of information provision otherwise the impact on healthcare costs and the outcomes for newborns and their parents may be underestimated.

The Estimation and Inclusion of Presenteeism Costs in Applied Economic Evaluation: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Kigozi, Jesse; Jowett, Sue; Lewis, Martyn; Barton, Pelham; Coast, Joanna

2017-03-01

Given the significant costs of reduced productivity (presenteeism) in comparison to absenteeism, and overall societal costs, presenteeism has a potentially important role to play in economic evaluations. However, these costs are often excluded. The objective of this study is to review applied cost of illness studies and economic evaluations to identify valuation methods used for, and impact of including presenteeism costs in practice. A structured systematic review was carried out to explore (i) the extent to which presenteeism has been applied in cost of illness studies and economic evaluations and (ii) the overall impact of including presenteeism on overall costs and outcomes. Potential articles were identified by searching Medline, PsycINFO and NHS EED databases. A standard template was developed and used to extract information from economic evaluations and cost of illness studies incorporating presenteeism costs. A total of 28 studies were included in the systematic review which also demonstrated that presenteeism costs are rarely included in full economic evaluations. Estimation and monetisation methods differed between the instruments. The impact of disease on presenteeism whilst in paid work is high. The potential impact of presenteeism costs needs to be highlighted and greater consideration should be given to including these in economic evaluations and cost of illness studies. The importance of including presenteeism costs when conducting economic evaluation from a societal perspective should be emphasised in national economic guidelines and more methodological work is required to improve the practical application of presenteeism instruments to generate productivity cost estimates. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Present-value analysis: A systems approach to public decisionmaking for cost effectiveness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herbert, T. T.

1971-01-01

Decision makers within Governmental agencies and Congress must evaluate competing (and sometimes conflicting) proposals which seek funding and implementation. Present value analysis can be an effective decision making tool by enabling the formal evaluation of the effects of competing proposals on efficient national resource utilization. A project's costs are not only its direct disbursements, but its social costs as well. How much does it cost to have those funds diverted from their use and economic benefit by the private sector to the public project? Comparisons of competing projects' social costs allow decision makers to expand their decision bases by quantifying the projects' impacts upon the economy and the efficient utilization of the country's limited national resources. A conceptual model is established for the choosing of the appropriate discount rate to be used in evaluation decisions through the technique.

Pharmaceutical priority setting and the use of health economic evaluations: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Erntoft, Sandra

2011-06-01

To investigate which factors and criteria are used in priority setting of pharmaceuticals, in what contexts health economic evaluations are used, and barriers to the use of health economic evaluations at micro, meso, and macro health-care levels. The search for empirical articles was based on the MeSH index (Medical Substance Heading), including the search terms "economic evaluation," "cost-effectiveness analysis," "cost-utility analysis," "cost-benefit analysis," "pharmacoeconomic," AND "drug cost(s)," AND "eligibility determination," AND "decision-making," AND "rationing," AND formulary. The following databases were searched: PubMed, EconLit, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. More than 3100 studies were identified, 31 of which were included in this review. The use of health economic evaluations at all three health-care levels was investigated in three countries (United States [US], United Kingdom [UK], and Sweden). Postal and telephone survey methods dominated (n = 17) followed by interviews (n = 13), document analysis (n = 10), and observations of group deliberations (n = 9). The cost-effectiveness criterion was most important at the macro level. A number of contextual uses of health economic evaluations were identified, including importantly the legitimizing of decisions, structuring the priority-setting process, and requesting additional budgets to finance expensive pharmaceuticals. Factors that seem to support the increased use of health economic evaluations are well-developed frameworks for evaluations, the presence of health economic skills, and an explicit priority-setting process. Differences in how economic evaluations are used at macro, meso, and micro levels are attributed to differences in the preconditions at each level. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The economic evaluation of medical devices: challenges.

PubMed

Kingkaew, Pritaporn; Teerawattananon, Yot

2014-05-01

While many of the principles that guide the economic evaluation of medical devices are somewhat similar to those that guide the evaluation of other health technologies, most outline a methodology that focuses on pharmaceutical products rather providing specific guidance for medical devices. Given that medical devices use a wide range of technologies and can be used for many purposes, conducting an economic analysis for medical devices is not straightforward. The cost and effectiveness of a given technology may depend on a number of factors. The objective of this paper is to provide a summary of issues that need to be addressed before undertaking an economic evaluation of medical devices and to outline a number of suggested approaches for undertaking an economic evaluation of medical devices.

A conceptual framework for economic optimization of an animal health surveillance portfolio.

PubMed

Guo, X; Claassen, G D H; Oude Lansink, A G J M; Saatkamp, H W

2016-04-01

Decision making on hazard surveillance in livestock product chains is a multi-hazard, multi-stakeholder, and multi-criteria process that includes a variety of decision alternatives. The multi-hazard aspect means that the allocation of the scarce resource for surveillance should be optimized from the point of view of a surveillance portfolio (SP) rather than a single hazard. In this paper, we present a novel conceptual approach for economic optimization of a SP to address the resource allocation problem for a surveillance organization from a theoretical perspective. This approach uses multi-criteria techniques to evaluate the performances of different settings of a SP, taking cost-benefit aspects of surveillance and stakeholders' preferences into account. The credibility of the approach has also been checked for conceptual validity, data needs and operational validity; the application potentials of the approach are also discussed.

Evaluation of ionic liquid treated sisal (agave sisalana) fiber as sorbent in biodiesel spill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, E.; Silva, A.; Mattedi, S.

2018-04-01

The global economic development continually demands the use of energy resources, among which various types of oils are widely used. Despite their undeniable economic importance, environmental accidents with these occur frequently. Thus, the search for efficient and low-cost mitigating measures is recurrent. In this context, techniques that use natural adsorbents, such as vegetable fibers, have been studied, since they combine efficiency, selectivity, low cost and sustainability. Studies have been carried out using various types of fibers, natural or chemically treated. The interest in treating the fiber lies in the fact that, changing the chemical structure of the fiber, its oil sorption capacity is increased. Due to the offered advantages, an alternative and promising type of surface treatment using ionic liquids was performed, to the detriment of traditional treatments. Thus, the technical feasibility of the use of sisal fiber treated with ionic liquid for adsorption of biodiesel was studied.

The ``battle of gold'' under the light of green economics: a case study from Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damigos, D.; Kaliampakos, D.

2006-05-01

Mining firms stimulate local and national economies but this comes at a certain cost. In the light of increasing public concern, external costs of environmental degradation and social disruption are no longer of pure academic interest. The assessment of mining projects on the grounds of sustainable development is critical in order to decide whether the exploitation of mineral resources is socially desirable. In practice, few steps have been taken towards this end. In this paper, a case study is illustrated that provides the means for evaluating the social worthiness of mining projects. The analysis, which is the first of its kind in Greece, deals with a major problem of the mining industry: the gold debate on the grounds of green economics. The assessment is based on the social cost benefit approach. Well-established techniques (e.g. benefit transfer) and innovative approaches have been adopted to overcome various practical problems

The use of non-economic criteria in pricing and reimbursement decisions in Central and Eastern Europe: issues, trends and recommendations.

PubMed

Kolasa, Katarzyna; Kalo, Zoltan; Zah, Vladimir

2016-08-01

According to some experts, there is still room for improvement with regard to the inclusion of ethical considerations in Health Technology Assessment (HTA). The pros and cons of the introduction of non-economic criteria in the HTA process in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are discussed. In comparison to Western Europe, financial considerations are even more important in CEE settings; however, it could also be said that attachment to equity and justice is part of CEE's heritage. Therefore, the trade-off between conflicting principles is evaluated. Expert commentary: To ensure the right balance between equity and efficiency in decision making, the current HTA framework has to be further augmented to allow all conflicting criteria to be addressed to a satisfactory degree. Following other examples, the applicability of multi criteria decision analysis technique to CEE settings should be further investigated.

The cost-effectiveness of insulin glargine vs. neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin in type 2 diabetes: a focus on health economics.

PubMed

Levin, P

2008-07-01

Diabetes mellitus is a major public health problem, in particular because of long-term complications affecting essential organs, such as the eyes and kidneys, which can lead to a reduction in life expectancy and high healthcare costs. The number of individuals with diabetes mellitus is projected to rise worldwide from 171 million people in 2000 to 366 million people in 2030. With the number of patients with diabetes continually growing, the burden of pressure on worldwide health systems is huge. Accordingly, regulatory and marketing approvals of new medicines are beginning to incorporate economic evaluation techniques to determine their cost-effectiveness. Overall, the studies included in this review show that the initiation of insulin glargine is cost-effective and is expected to lead to substantial improvements in both life years (LYs) and quality-adjusted LYs compared with neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin.

Scientific second-order 'nudging' or lobbying by interest groups: the battle over abdominal aortic aneurysm screening programmes.

PubMed

Ploug, Thomas; Holm, Søren; Brodersen, John

2014-11-01

The idea that it is acceptable to 'nudge' people to opt for the 'healthy choice' is gaining currency in health care policy circles. This article investigates whether researchers evaluating Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programmes (AAASP) attempt to influence decision makers in ways that are similar to popular 'nudging' techniques. Comparing two papers on the health economics of AAASP both published in the BMJ within the last 3 years, it is shown that the values chosen for the health economics modelling are not representative of the literature and consistently favour the conclusions of the articles. It is argued (1) that this and other features of these articles may be justified within a Libertarian Paternalist framework as 'nudging' like ways of influencing decision makers, but also (2) that these ways of influencing decision makers raise significant ethical issues in the context of democratic decision making.

Transferability of economic evaluations of medical technologies: a new technology for orthopedic surgery.

PubMed

Steuten, Lotte; Vallejo-Torres, Laura; Young, Terry; Buxton, Martin

2008-05-01

Transferring results of economic evaluations across countries or jurisdictions can potentially save scarce evaluation resources while helping to make market access and reimbursement decisions in a timely fashion. This article points out why transferring results of economic evaluations is particularly important in the field of medical technologies. It then provides an overview of factors that are previously identified in the literature as affecting transferability of economic evaluations, as well as methods for transferring results in a scientifically sound way. As the current literature almost exclusively relates to transferability of pharmacoeconomic evaluations, this article highlights those factors and methodologies that are of particular relevance to transferring medical technology assessments. Considering the state-of-the-art literature and a worked, real life, example of transferring an economic evaluation of a product used in orthopedic surgery, we provide recommendations for future work in this important area of medical technology assessment.

Toward a More Effective Economic Principles Class: The Florida State University Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuckman, Barbara; Tuckman, Howard

1975-01-01

This special issue explores alternative approaches to teaching the college introductory economics course. Using insights gained from learning theory, suggestions from the Joint Council on Economic Education, and trial and error, several faculty members at the Florida State University experimented with various techniques and approaches designed to…

Economic Education. Curriculum Guide. Kindergarten-12. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma Curriculum Improvement Commission, Oklahoma City.

The document offers practical and motivating techniques for helping students achieve economic literacy. The activities are designed to develop competency for effective citizenship as a consumer, a worker making occupational choices, and a voter on socioeconomic issues. The material in the elementary section discusses economic wants, scarcity and…

Remote-Sensing-Based Evaluation of Relative Consumptive Use Between Flood- and Drip-Irrigated Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez Baquero, G. F.; Jordan, D. L.; Whittaker, A. T.; Allen, R. G.

2013-12-01

Governments and water authorities are compelled to evaluate the impacts of agricultural irrigation on economic development and sustainability as water supply shortages continue to increase in many communities. One of the strategies commonly used to reduce such impacts is the conversion of traditional irrigation methods towards more water-efficient practices. As part of a larger effort by the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission to understand the environmental and economic impact of converting from flood irrigation to drip irrigation, this study evaluates the water-saving effectiveness of drip irrigation in Deming, New Mexico, using a remote-sensing-based technique combined with ground data collection. The remote-sensing-based technique used relative temperature differences as a proxy for water use to show relative differences in crop consumptive use between flood- and drip-irrigated fields. Temperature analysis showed that, on average, drip-irrigated fields were cooler than flood-irrigated fields, indicating higher water use. The higher consumption of water by drip-irrigated fields was supported by a determination of evapotranspiration (ET) from all fields using the METRIC Landsat-based surface energy balance model. METRIC analysis yielded higher instantaneous ET for drip-irrigated fields when compared to flood-irrigated fields and confirmed that drip-irrigated fields consumed more water than flood-irrigated fields planted with the same crop. More water use generally results in more biomass and hence higher crop yield, and this too was confirmed by greater relative Normalized Difference Vegetation Index for the drip irrigated fields. Results from this study confirm previous estimates regarding the impacts of increased efficiency of drip irrigation on higher water consumption in the area (Ward and Pulido-Velazquez, 2008). The higher water consumption occurs with drip because, with the limited water supplies and regulated maximum limits on pumping amounts, the higher efficiency of drip enables producers to convert larger percentages of pumped ground-water into evapotranspiration and reduces the ';return' of percolation ';losses' back to the ground-water system that previously re-recharged the aquifer. This study illustrates the usefulness of remote sensing techniques to evaluate spatial patterns of ET by different irrigation methods. These results illustrate a first-step quantitative tool that can be used by water resources managers in formulation of policy to limit net water consumption and maintain reliable water supply sources.

FBI fingerprint identification automation study. AIDS 3 evaluation report. Volume 4: Economic feasibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulhall, B. D. L.

1980-01-01

The results of the economic analysis of the AIDS 3 system design are presented. AIDS 3 evaluated a set of economic feasibility measures including life cycle cost, implementation cost, annual operating expenditures and annual capital expenditures. The economic feasibility of AIDS 3 was determined by comparing the evaluated measures with the same measures, where applicable, evaluated for the current system. A set of future work load scenarios was constructed using JPL's environmental evaluation study of the fingerprint identification system. AIDS 3 and the current system were evaluated for each of the economic feasibility measures for each of the work load scenarios. They were compared for a set of performance measures, including response time and accuracy, and for a set of cost/benefit ratios, including cost per transaction and cost per technical search. Benefit measures related to the economic feasibility of the system are also presented, including the required number of employees and the required employee skill mix.

Tumor-on-a-chip platforms for assessing nanoparticle-based cancer therapy.

PubMed

Wang, Yimin; Cuzzucoli, Fabio; Escobar, Andres; Lu, Siming; Liang, Liguo; Wang, ShuQi

2018-08-17

Cancer has become the most prevalent cause of deaths, placing a huge economic and healthcare burden worldwide. Nanoparticles (NPs), as a key component of nanomedicine, provide alternative options for promoting the efficacy of cancer therapy. Current conventional cancer models have limitations in predicting the effects of various cancer treatments. To overcome these limitations, biomimetic and novel 'tumor-on-a-chip' platforms have emerged with other innovative biomedical engineering methods that enable the evaluation of NP-based cancer therapy. In this review, we first describe cancer models for evaluation of NP-based cancer therapy techniques, and then present the latest advances in 'tumor-on-a-chip' platforms that can potentially facilitate clinical translation of NP-based cancer therapies.

Physical Examination Reporting System

PubMed Central

Rowley, B.A.; Cameron, J.M.; Anderson, D.E.; Nicholas, T.A.; Hogue, R.L.; Hutcheson, J.L.; Peralta, V.H.; Johansen, B.; Walston, D.

1978-01-01

The following is a description of a Physical Examination Reporting System which was developed in cooperation with physicians from the Department of Family Practice and the Department of Preventive Medicine, Texas Tech University School of Medicine, Lubbock, Texas. This system was designed to evaluate what effect such a report would have on the practice of medicine in underserved areas with regard to health benefit, medical impact, and economic impact. The set of observations was assembled over a three month period by utilizing techniques previously developed in this area as well as the expertise of the TTUSM faculty. This system was developed for impact evaluation purposes. Its actual daily use may require changes in the form, in method of entry, and in format of the report.

Improving early cycle economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies.

PubMed

Steuten, Lotte M G; Ramsey, Scott D

2014-08-01

The rapidly increasing range and expense of new diagnostics, compels consideration of a different, more proactive approach to health economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies. Early cycle economic evaluation is a decision analytic approach to evaluate technologies in development so as to increase the return on investment as well as patient and societal impact. This paper describes examples of 'early cycle economic evaluations' as applied to diagnostic technologies and highlights challenges in its real-time application. It shows that especially in the field of diagnostics, with rapid technological developments and a changing regulatory climate, early cycle economic evaluation can have a guiding role to improve the efficiency of the diagnostics innovation process. In the next five years the attention will move beyond the methodological and analytic challenges of early cycle economic evaluation towards the challenge of effectively applying it to improve diagnostic research and development and patient value. Future work in this area should therefore be 'strong on principles and soft on metrics', that is, the metrics that resonate most clearly with the various decision makers in this field.

Meter shop equipment, techniques, and operation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, R.F.

1995-12-01

The development of new equipment inevitably results in new techniques and operational procedures to be implemented. Innovative techniques can result in operational changes and the development of new equipment. An operational modification opens the door for the development of new ideas, new equipment, and new techniques. This constant cycle of change promotes a continuous series of economic evaluations and decisions. Equipment and technological changes in measuring natural gas have resulted in modifications from past practices. The changes underway today will influence the way we plan and budget for the future, and, most notably, will change the way we repair gasmore » meters. The meter shop of today will need to look at the way that these changes will become available and how they will help efforts in reducing costs and increasing productivity. For instance, the standard three- and four-chambered diaphragm gas meter design has not been significantly changed in the past few decades aside from having heavy, cast iron bodies changed to lightweight aluminum bodies and utilizing a few plastic parts. But changes have been made, and more are on the threshold.« less

Edge printability: techniques used to evaluate and improve extreme wafer edge printability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Bill; Demmert, Cort; Jekauc, Igor; Tiffany, Jason P.

2004-05-01

The economics of semiconductor manufacturing have forced process engineers to develop techniques to increase wafer yield. Improvements in process controls and uniformities in all areas of the fab have reduced film thickness variations at the very edge of the wafer surface. This improved uniformity has provided the opportunity to consider decreasing edge exclusions, and now the outermost extents of the wafer must be considered in the yield model and expectations. These changes have increased the requirements on lithography to improve wafer edge printability in areas that previously were not even coated. This has taxed all software and hardware components used in defining the optical focal plane at the wafer edge. We have explored techniques to determine the capabilities of extreme wafer edge printability and the components of the systems that influence this printability. We will present current capabilities and new detection techniques and the influence that the individual hardware and software components have on edge printability. We will show effects of focus sensor designs, wafer layout, utilization of dummy edge fields, the use of non-zero overlay targets and chemical/optical edge bead optimization.

Economic evaluation of vaccines in Canada: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Chit, Ayman; Lee, Jason K. H.; Shim, Minsup; Nguyen, Van Hai; Grootendorst, Paul; Wu, Jianhong; Van Exan, Robert; Langley, Joanne M.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Economic evaluations should form part of the basis for public health decision making on new vaccine programs. While Canada's national immunization advisory committee does not systematically include economic evaluations in immunization decision making, there is increasing interest in adopting them. We therefore sought to examine the extent and quality of economic evaluations of vaccines in Canada. Objective: We conducted a systematic review of economic evaluations of vaccines in Canada to determine and summarize: comprehensiveness across jurisdictions, studied vaccines, funding sources, study designs, research quality, and changes over time. Methods: Searches in multiple databases were conducted using the terms “vaccine,” “economics” and “Canada.” Descriptive data from eligible manuscripts was abstracted and three authors independently evaluated manuscript quality using a 7-point Likert-type scale scoring tool based on criteria from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Results: 42/175 articles met the search criteria. Of these, Canada-wide studies were most common (25/42), while provincial studies largely focused on the three populous provinces of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. The most common funding source was industry (17/42), followed by government (7/42). 38 studies used mathematical models estimating expected economic benefit while 4 studies examined post-hoc data on established programs. Studies covered 10 diseases, with 28/42 addressing pediatric vaccines. Many studies considered cost-utility (22/42) and the majority of these studies reported favorable economic results (16/22). The mean quality score was 5.9/7 and was consistent over publication date, funding sources, and disease areas. Conclusions: We observed diverse approaches to evaluate vaccine economics in Canada. Given the increased complexity of economic studies evaluating vaccines and the impact of results on public health practice, Canada needs improved, transparent and consistent processes to review and assess the findings of the economic evaluations of vaccines. PMID:26890128

A foundational methodology for determining system static complexity using notional lunar oxygen production processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Nicholas James

This thesis serves to develop a preliminary foundational methodology for evaluating the static complexity of future lunar oxygen production systems when extensive information is not yet available about the various systems under consideration. Evaluating static complexity, as part of a overall system complexity analysis, is an important consideration in ultimately selecting a process to be used in a lunar base. When system complexity is higher, there is generally an overall increase in risk which could impact the safety of astronauts and the economic performance of the mission. To evaluate static complexity in lunar oxygen production, static complexity is simplified and defined into its essential components. First, three essential dimensions of static complexity are investigated, including interconnective complexity, strength of connections, and complexity in variety. Then a set of methods is developed upon which to separately evaluate each dimension. Q-connectivity analysis is proposed as a means to evaluate interconnective complexity and strength of connections. The law of requisite variety originating from cybernetic theory is suggested to interpret complexity in variety. Secondly, a means to aggregate the results of each analysis is proposed to create holistic measurement for static complexity using the Single Multi-Attribute Ranking Technique (SMART). Each method of static complexity analysis and the aggregation technique is demonstrated using notional data for four lunar oxygen production processes.

Economic evaluation in patient safety: a literature review of methods.

PubMed

de Rezende, Bruna Alves; Or, Zeynep; Com-Ruelle, Laure; Michel, Philippe

2012-06-01

Patient safety practices, targeting organisational changes for improving patient safety, are implemented worldwide but their costs are rarely evaluated. This paper provides a review of the methods used in economic evaluation of such practices. International medical and economics databases were searched for peer-reviewed publications on economic evaluations of patient safety between 2000 and 2010 in English and French. This was complemented by a manual search of the reference lists of relevant papers. Grey literature was excluded. Studies were described using a standardised template and assessed independently by two researchers according to six quality criteria. 33 articles were reviewed that were representative of different patient safety domains, data types and evaluation methods. 18 estimated the economic burden of adverse events, 3 measured the costs of patient safety practices and 12 provided complete economic evaluations. Healthcare-associated infections were the most common subject of evaluation, followed by medication-related errors and all types of adverse events. Of these, 10 were selected that had adequately fulfilled one or several key quality criteria for illustration. This review shows that full cost-benefit/utility evaluations are rarely completed as they are resource intensive and often require unavailable data; some overcome these difficulties by performing stochastic modelling and by using secondary sources. Low methodological transparency can be a problem for building evidence from available economic evaluations. Investing in the economic design and reporting of studies with more emphasis on defining study perspectives, data collection and methodological choices could be helpful for strengthening our knowledge base on practices for improving patient safety.

Economic evaluation of intermediate operations in oak stands

Treesearch

Henry H. Webster; John C., Jr. Meadows

1971-01-01

Economic evaluation of forest-management opportunities is a vital ingredient of effective forestry programs. Choices among management opportunities are necessary because opportunities inevitably exceed funds available, and they are important because opportunities commonly range from highly productive to decidedly unproductive. Economic evaluation in oak stands shows a...

24 CFR 570.209 - Guidelines for evaluating and selecting economic development projects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... selecting economic development projects. 570.209 Section 570.209 Housing and Urban Development Regulations... DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS Eligible Activities § 570.209 Guidelines for evaluating and selecting economic... activities to be carried out for economic development purposes. Specifically, these guidelines are applicable...

24 CFR 570.209 - Guidelines for evaluating and selecting economic development projects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... selecting economic development projects. 570.209 Section 570.209 Housing and Urban Development Regulations... DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS Eligible Activities § 570.209 Guidelines for evaluating and selecting economic... activities to be carried out for economic development purposes. Specifically, these guidelines are applicable...

Evaluating the quality and use of economic data in decisions about essential medicines.

PubMed

Moucheraud, Corrina; Wirtz, Veronika J; Reich, Michael R

2015-10-01

To evaluate the quality of economic data provided in applications to the World Health Organization (WHO) Model List of Essential Medicines and to evaluate the role of these data in decision-making by the expert committee that considers the applications. We analysed applications submitted to the WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines between 2002 and 2013. The completeness of data on the price and cost-effectiveness of medicines was extracted from application documents and coded using a four-point scale. We recorded whether or not the expert committee discussed economic information and the outcomes of each application. Associations between the completeness of economic data and application outcomes were assessed using χ 2 tests. The expert committee received 134 applications. Only eight applications (6%) included complete price data and economic evaluation data. Many applicants omitted or misinterpreted the economic evaluation section of the application form. Despite the lack of economic data, all applications were reviewed by the committee. There was no significant association between the completeness of economic information and application outcomes. The expert committee tried to address information gaps in applications by further review and analysis of data related to the application. The World Health Organization should revise the instructions to applicants on economic data requirements; develop new mechanisms to assist applicants in completing the application process; and define methods for the use of economic data in decision-making.

Evidence for the effectiveness of Alexander Technique lessons in medical and health-related conditions: a systematic review.

PubMed

Woodman, J P; Moore, N R

2012-01-01

Complementary medicine and alternative approaches to chronic and intractable health conditions are increasingly being used, and require critical evaluation. The aim of this review was to systematically evaluate available evidence for the effectiveness and safety of instruction in the Alexander Technique in health-related conditions. PUBMED, EMBASE, PSYCHINFO, ISI Web-of-Knowledge, AMED, CINHAL-plus, Cochrane library and Evidence-based Medicine Reviews were searched to July 2011. Inclusion criteria were prospective studies evaluating Alexander Technique instruction (individual lessons or group delivery) as an intervention for any medical indication/health-related condition. Studies were categorised and data extracted on study population, randomisation method, nature of intervention and control, practitioner characteristics, validity and reliability of outcome measures, completeness of follow-up and statistical analyses.   Of 271 publications identified, 18 were selected: three randomised, controlled trials (RCTs), two controlled non-randomised studies, eight non-controlled studies, four qualitative analyses and one health economic analysis. One well-designed, well-conducted RCT demonstrated that, compared with usual GP care, Alexander Technique lessons led to significant long-term reductions in back pain and incapacity caused by chronic back pain. The results were broadly supported by a smaller, earlier RCT in chronic back pain. The third RCT, a small, well-designed, well-conducted study in individuals with Parkinson's disease, showed a sustained increased ability to carry out everyday activities following Alexander lessons, compared with usual care. The 15 non-RCT studies are also reviewed. Strong evidence exists for the effectiveness of Alexander Technique lessons for chronic back pain and moderate evidence in Parkinson's-associated disability. Preliminary evidence suggests that Alexander Technique lessons may lead to improvements in balance skills in the elderly, in general chronic pain, posture, respiratory function and stuttering, but there is insufficient evidence to support recommendations in these areas. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Socio-economic and climate change impacts on agriculture: an integrated assessment, 1990–2080

PubMed Central

Fischer, Günther; Shah, Mahendra; N. Tubiello, Francesco; van Velhuizen, Harrij

2005-01-01

A comprehensive assessment of the impacts of climate change on agro-ecosystems over this century is developed, up to 2080 and at a global level, albeit with significant regional detail. To this end an integrated ecological–economic modelling framework is employed, encompassing climate scenarios, agro-ecological zoning information, socio-economic drivers, as well as world food trade dynamics. Specifically, global simulations are performed using the FAO/IIASA agro-ecological zone model, in conjunction with IIASAs global food system model, using climate variables from five different general circulation models, under four different socio-economic scenarios from the intergovernmental panel on climate change. First, impacts of different scenarios of climate change on bio-physical soil and crop growth determinants of yield are evaluated on a 5′×5′ latitude/longitude global grid; second, the extent of potential agricultural land and related potential crop production is computed. The detailed bio-physical results are then fed into an economic analysis, to assess how climate impacts may interact with alternative development pathways, and key trends expected over this century for food demand and production, and trade, as well as key composite indices such as risk of hunger and malnutrition, are computed. This modelling approach connects the relevant bio-physical and socio-economic variables within a unified and coherent framework to produce a global assessment of food production and security under climate change. The results from the study suggest that critical impact asymmetries due to both climate and socio-economic structures may deepen current production and consumption gaps between developed and developing world; it is suggested that adaptation of agricultural techniques will be central to limit potential damages under climate change. PMID:16433094

Interconnectedness and interdependencies of critical infrastructures in the US economy: Implications for resilience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chopra, Shauhrat S.; Khanna, Vikas

2015-10-01

Natural disasters in 2011 yielded close to 55 billion in economic damages alone in the United States (US), which highlights the need to reduce impacts of such disasters or other deliberate attacks. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identifies a list of 16 Critical Infrastructure Sectors (CIS) whose incapacity due to disruptions would have a debilitating impact on the nation's economy. The goal of this work is to understand the implications of interdependencies among CIS on the resilience of the US economic system as a whole. We develop a framework that combines the empirical economic input-output (EIO) model with graph theory based techniques for understanding interdependencies, interconnectedness and resilience in the US economic system. By representing the US economy as a network, we are able to analyze its topology by separately looking at its unweighted and weighted forms. Topological analysis of the US EIO network suggests that it exhibits small world properties for the unweighted case, and in the weighted case, the throughput of industry sectors follows a power-law with an exponential cutoff. Implications of these topological properties are discussed in the paper. We also simulate hypothetical disruptions on CIS in order to identify industrial sectors that experience the largest economic impacts, and to quantify systemic vulnerability in economic terms. In addition, insights from community detection and hypothetical disruption scenarios help assess vulnerability of individual industrial communities to disruptions on individual CIS. These methodologies also provide insights regarding the extent of coupling between each CIS in the US EIO network. Based on our analysis, we observe that excessive interconnectedness and interdependencies of CIS results in high systemic vulnerability. This information can guide policymakers to design policies that improve resilience of economic networks, and evaluate policies that might indirectly increase coupling between CIS.

Impact of deforestation on local precipitation patterns over the Da River basin, Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anghileri, Daniela; Spartà, Daniele; Castelletti, Andrea; Boschetti, Mirco

2014-05-01

Change in land cover, e.g. from forest to bare soil, might severely impact the hydrological cycle at the river basin scale by altering the balance between rainfall and evaporation, ultimately affecting streamflow dynamics. These changes generally occur over decades, but they might be much more rapid in developing countries, where economic growth and growing population may cause abrupt changes in landscape and ecosystem. Detecting, analysing and modelling these changes is an essential step to design mitigation strategies and adaptation plans, balancing economic development and ecosystem protection. In this work we investigate the impact of land cover changes on the water cycle in the Da River basin, Vietnam. More precisely, the objective is to evaluate the interlink between deforestation and precipitation. The case study is particularly interesting because Vietnam is one of the world fastest growing economies and natural resources have been considerably exploited to support after-war development. Vietnam has the second highest rate of deforestation of primary forests in the world, second to only Nigeria (FAO 2005), with associated problems like abrupt change in run-off, erosion, sediment transport and flash floods. We performed land cover evaluation by combining literature information and Remote Sensing techniques, using Landsat images. We then analysed time series of precipitation observed on the period 1960-2011 in several stations located in the catchment area. We used multiple trend detection techniques, both state-of-the-art (e.g., Linear regression and Mann-Kendall) and novel trend detection techniques (Moving Average on Shifting Horizon), to investigate trends in seasonal pattern of precipitation. Results suggest that deforestation may induce a negative trend in the precipitation volume. The effect is mainly recognizable at the beginning and at the end of the monsoon season, when the local mechanisms of precipitation formation prevail over the large scale ones.

Monitoring and evaluation of soil bioengineering interventions for watershed management, disaster mitigation and environmental restoration in Latin America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrone, Alessandro; Preti, Federico

2013-04-01

In recent decades the institutions responsible for land management and civil protection have showed a great interest in relation to the use of more environmentally friendly techniques to mitigate the risk of landslides and floods. Soil bioengineering has responded to this need and several research groups are carrying out experimentations using the techniques of this discipline in the countries in the developing world. The Deistaf from University of Florence has concentrated its activities in this area over the past decade promoting the use of the techniques of Soil bioengineering in Latin America through the implementation of training and experimentation programmes. Numerous works have been completed both in riverbanks and on slopes in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Ecuador and Colombia. It was decided to make a census of interventions in Latin America from different institutions that may be related to Soil bioengineering in order to obtain an overview of the state of the art in the specific context taking into account also environmental and socio-economic issues. Taking advantage of its network of contacts, DEISTAF has collected dozens of sheets that describe interventions. These sheets describe, among other fields focused on the environment in which the work has been carried out, the materials and techniques used, and the impact of the intervention. In the sheets we present also the monitoring that has been realized for some of these works in the months of October and November 2012; we include the identification of the current condition and functionality of the intervention and, in the case of the presence of some damages, the formulation of instructions to fix them as well as the economic quantification of the repairs to be carried out.

Economic evaluations of pharmacist-managed services in people with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review.

PubMed

Wang, Y; Yeo, Q Q; Ko, Y

2016-04-01

To review and evaluate the most recent literature on the economic outcomes of pharmacist-managed services in people with diabetes. The global prevalence of diabetes is increasing. Although pharmacist-managed services have been shown to improve people's health outcomes, the economic impact of these programmes remains unclear. A systematic review was conducted of six databases. Study inclusion criteria were: (1) original research; (2) evaluation of pharmacist-managed services in people with diabetes; (3) an economic evaluation; (4) English-language publication; and (5) full-text, published between January 2006 and December 2014. The quality of the full economic evaluations reviewed was evaluated using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist. A total of 2204 articles were screened and 25 studies were selected. These studies were conducted in a community pharmacy (n = 10), a clinic- /hospital-based outpatient facility (n = 8), or others. Pharmacist-managed services included targeted education (n = 24), general pharmacotherapeutic monitoring (n = 21), health screening or laboratory testing services (n = 9), immunization services (n = 2) and pharmacokinetic monitoring (n = 1). Compared with usual care, pharmacist-managed services resulted in cost savings that varied from $7 to $65,000 ($8 to $85,000 in 2014 US dollars) per person per year, and generated higher quality-adjusted life years with lower costs. Benefit-to-cost ratios ranged from 1:1 to 8.5:1. Among the 25 studies reviewed, 11 were full economic evaluations of moderate quality. Pharmacist-managed services had a positive return in terms of economic viability. With the expanding role of pharmacists in the healthcare sector, alongside increasing health expenditure, future economic studies of high quality are needed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of these services. © 2015 Diabetes UK.

Contribution of economic evaluation to decision making in early phases of product development: a methodological and empirical review.

PubMed

Hartz, Susanne; John, Jürgen

2008-01-01

Economic evaluation as an integral part of health technology assessment is today mostly applied to established technologies. Evaluating healthcare innovations in their early states of development has recently attracted attention. Although it offers several benefits, it also holds methodological challenges. The aim of our study was to investigate the possible contributions of economic evaluation to industry's decision making early in product development and to confront the results with the actual use of early data in economic assessments. We conducted a literature research to detect methodological contributions as well as economic evaluations that used data from early phases of product development. Economic analysis can be beneficially used in early phases of product development for various purposes including early market assessment, R&D portfolio management, and first estimations of pricing and reimbursement scenarios. Analytical tools available for these purposes have been identified. Numerous empirical works were detected, but most do not disclose any concrete decision context and could not be directly matched with the suggested applications. Industry can benefit from starting economic evaluation early in product development in several ways. Empirical evidence suggests that there is still potential left unused.

Extrapolating bound state data of anions into the metastable domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feuerbacher, Sven; Sommerfeld, Thomas; Cederbaum, Lorenz S.

2004-10-01

Computing energies of electronically metastable resonance states is still a great challenge. Both scattering techniques and quantum chemistry based L2 methods are very time consuming. Here we investigate two more economical extrapolation methods. Extrapolating bound states energies into the metastable region using increased nuclear charges has been suggested almost 20 years ago. We critically evaluate this attractive technique employing our complex absorbing potential/Green's function method that allows us to follow a bound state into the continuum. Using the 2Πg resonance of N2- and the 2Πu resonance of CO2- as examples, we found that the extrapolation works suprisingly well. The second extrapolation method involves increasing of bond lengths until the sought resonance becomes stable. The keystone is to extrapolate the attachment energy and not the total energy of the system. This method has the great advantage that the whole potential energy curve is obtained with quite good accuracy by the extrapolation. Limitations of the two techniques are discussed.

Remote Detection and Mapping of Supergene Iron Oxides in the Cripple Creek Mining District, Colorado

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taranik, D. L.; Kruse, F. A.; Goetz, A. F. H.; Atkinson, W. W.

1990-01-01

The Geophysical and Environmental Research Imaging Spectrometer (GERIS) was flown over the Cripple Creek mining district in south-central Colorado to improve the geological understanding of the district. As part of the study, an airborne mapping technique was developed for the discrimination of the ferric iron minerals hematite, goethite, and jarosite, minerals often important indicators of the distribution of economic mineralization. A software technique was developed which uses the binary encoding of spectral slopes to identify the mineral hematite from the group goethite/jarosite. Mixtures of hematite and goethite can also be detected with GERIS data. The study included district-wide field mapping and spectral measurements to evaluate the accuracy of the image classifications. The ARC/INFO geographic information system (GIS) was a useful tool which allowed quantitative comparison of the field mapping and GERIS image data sets. The study results demonstrate the ability to discriminate individual iron minerals using imaging spectroscopy, and the development of a rapid mapping technique useful in the reconnaissance stage of minerals exploration.

Economic impact of electronic prescribing in the hospital setting: A systematic review.

PubMed

Ahmed, Zamzam; Barber, Nick; Jani, Yogini; Garfield, Sara; Franklin, Bryony Dean

2016-04-01

To examine evidence on the economic impact of electronic prescribing (EP) systems in the hospital setting. We conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, the NHS Economic Evaluation Database, the European Network of Health Economic Evaluation Database and Web of Science from inception to October 2013. Full and partial economic evaluations of EP or computerized provider order entry were included. We excluded studies assessing prescribing packages for specific drugs, and monetary outcomes that were not related to medicines. A checklist was used to evaluate risk of bias and evidence quality. The search yielded 1160 articles of which three met the inclusion criteria. Two were full economic evaluations and one a partial economic evaluation. A meta-analysis was not appropriate as studies were heterogeneous in design, economic evaluation method, interventions and outcome measures. Two studies investigated the financial impact of reducing preventable adverse drug events. The third measured savings related to various aspects of the system including those related to medication. Two studies reported positive financial effects. However the overall quality of the economic evidence was low and key details often not reported. There seems to be some evidence of financial benefits of EP in the hospital setting. However, it is not clear if evidence is transferable to other settings. Research is scarce and limited in quality, and reported methods are not always transparent. Further robust, high quality research is required to establish if hospital EP is cost effective and thus inform policy makers' decisions. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Technology that achieves the Triple Aim: an economic analysis of the BrainPath™ approach in neurosurgery.

PubMed

Norton, Sidney P; Dickerson, Evan M; Kulwin, Charles G; Shah, Mitesh V

2017-01-01

The Triple Aim is defined as: improving the patient experience of care, improving the health of populations, and reducing the per capita cost of health care. The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate the economic value of a new neurosurgical technique, the BrainPath™ approach, for use in patients with subcortical tumors and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Inpatient length of stay (LOS) data were collected for ICH and brain tumor surgical patient cases between August 2013 and November 2015. Patient cases were separated into two groups; BrainPath approach (n = 28) and conventional techniques, such as craniotomy, (n = 208). The average intensive care unit (ICU) LOS was calculated for each group by diagnosis-related group and compared between groups. The new surgical technology resulted in surgical intervention in 14 ICH cases which otherwise would have been medically managed due to the hemorrhage location or size of the ICH. A reduction in ICU LOS was seen in this group. Based on the variable direct cost per day in the neuro critical care unit at this academic medical center, 14 patient cases incurred ~ US$210,000 less in direct ICU costs. Surgical resection was possible in two tumor patient cases which would have been biopsied, rather than surgically resected, also due to location of the abnormalities. A total net value of > US$329,000 is attributable to the analyzed approach over a 28-month period. This analysis shows positive economic value for the new technology group when ICU LOS and reimbursement are considered against equipment costs, thus achieving Triple Aim objectives.

Challenges on the epidemiological and economic burden of diabetes and hypertension in Mexico.

PubMed

Arredondo, Armando; Orozco, Emanuel; Alcalde-Rabanal, Jaqueline; Navarro, Juan; Azar, Alejandra

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE To analyze the epidemiological and economic burden of the health services demand due to diabetes and hypertension in Mexico. METHODS Evaluation study based on a time series study that had as a universe of study the assured and uninsured population that demands health services from the three main institutions of the Health System in Mexico: The Health Department, the Mexican Institute of Social Security, and Institute of Services and Social Security for State Workers. The financing method was based on instrumentation and consensus techniques for medium case management. In order to estimate the epidemiological changes and financial requirements, a time series of observed cases for diabetes and hypertension 1994-2013 was integrated. Probabilistic models were developed based on the Box-Jenkins technique for the period of 2013-2018 with 95% confidence intervals and p < 0.05. RESULTS Comparing results from 2013 versus 2018, in the five regions, different incremental trends of 14%-17% in epidemiological changes and 58%-66% in the economic burden for both diseases were observed. CONCLUSIONS If the risk factors and the different models of care remained as they currently are in the three institutions analyzed, the financial consequences would be of greater impact for the Mexican Institute of Social Security, following in order of importance the Institute of Services and Social Security for State Workers and lastly the Health Department. The financial needs for both diseases will represent approximately 13%-15% of the total budget allocated to the uninsured population and 15%-17% for the population insured depending on the region.

Challenges on the epidemiological and economic burden of diabetes and hypertension in Mexico

PubMed Central

Arredondo, Armando; Orozco, Emanuel; Alcalde-Rabanal, Jaqueline; Navarro, Juan; Azar, Alejandra

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the epidemiological and economic burden of the health services demand due to diabetes and hypertension in Mexico. METHODS Evaluation study based on a time series study that had as a universe of study the assured and uninsured population that demands health services from the three main institutions of the Health System in Mexico: The Health Department, the Mexican Institute of Social Security, and Institute of Services and Social Security for State Workers. The financing method was based on instrumentation and consensus techniques for medium case management. In order to estimate the epidemiological changes and financial requirements, a time series of observed cases for diabetes and hypertension 1994–2013 was integrated. Probabilistic models were developed based on the Box-Jenkins technique for the period of 2013–2018 with 95% confidence intervals and p < 0.05. RESULTS Comparing results from 2013 versus 2018, in the five regions, different incremental trends of 14%–17% in epidemiological changes and 58%-66% in the economic burden for both diseases were observed. CONCLUSIONS If the risk factors and the different models of care remained as they currently are in the three institutions analyzed, the financial consequences would be of greater impact for the Mexican Institute of Social Security, following in order of importance the Institute of Services and Social Security for State Workers and lastly the Health Department. The financial needs for both diseases will represent approximately 13%–15% of the total budget allocated to the uninsured population and 15%–17% for the population insured depending on the region. PMID:29489993

Health economic evidence gaps and methodological constraints in low back pain and neck pain: Results of the Research Agenda for Health Economic Evaluation (RAHEE) project.

PubMed

van Dongen, J M; Ketheswaran, J; Tordrup, D; Ostelo, R W J G; Bertollini, R; van Tulder, M W

2016-12-01

Despite the increased interest in economic evaluations, there are difficulties in applying the results of such studies in practice. Therefore, the "Research Agenda for Health Economic Evaluation" (RAHEE) project was initiated, which aimed to improve the use of health economic evidence in practice for the 10 highest burden conditions in the European Union (including low back pain [LBP] and neck pain [NP]). This was done by undertaking literature mapping and convening an Expert Panel meeting, during which the literature mapping results were discussed and evidence gaps and methodological constraints were identified. The current paper is a part of the RAHEE project and aimed to identify economic evidence gaps and methodological constraints in the LBP and NP literature, in particular. The literature mapping revealed that economic evidence was unavailable for various commonly used LBP and NP treatments (e.g., injections, traction, and discography). Even if economic evidence was available, many treatments were only evaluated in a single study or studies for the same intervention were highly heterogeneous in terms of their patient population, control condition, follow-up duration, setting, and/or economic perspective. Up until now, this has prevented economic evaluation results from being statistically pooled in the LBP and NP literature, and strong conclusions about the cost-effectiveness of LBP and NP treatments can therefore not be made. The Expert Panel identified the need for further high-quality economic evaluations, especially on surgery versus conservative care and competing treatment options for chronic LBP. Handling of uncertainty and reporting quality were considered the most important methodological challenges. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Ethnicity and Economic Well-Being: The Case of Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Addai, Isaac; Pokimica, Jelena

2010-01-01

In the context of decades of successful economic reforms in Ghana, this study investigates whether ethnicity influences economic well-being (perceived and actual) among Ghanaians at the micro-level. Drawing on Afro-barometer 2008 data, the authors employs logistic and multiple regression techniques to explore the relative effect of ethnicity on…

Public health economics: a systematic review of guidance for the economic evaluation of public health interventions and discussion of key methodological issues

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background If Public Health is the science and art of how society collectively aims to improve health, and reduce inequalities in health, then Public Health Economics is the science and art of supporting decision making as to how society can use its available resources to best meet these objectives and minimise opportunity cost. A systematic review of published guidance for the economic evaluation of public health interventions within this broad public policy paradigm was conducted. Methods Electronic databases and organisation websites were searched using a 22 year time horizon (1990–2012). References of papers were hand searched for additional papers for inclusion. Government reports or peer-reviewed published papers were included if they; referred to the methods of economic evaluation of public health interventions, identified key challenges of conducting economic evaluations of public health interventions or made recommendations for conducting economic evaluations of public health interventions. Guidance was divided into three categories UK guidance, international guidance and observations or guidance provided by individual commentators in the field of public health economics. An assessment of the theoretical frameworks underpinning the guidance was made and served as a rationale for categorising the papers. Results We identified 5 international guidance documents, 7 UK guidance documents and 4 documents by individual commentators. The papers reviewed identify the main methodological challenges that face analysts when conducting such evaluations. There is a consensus within the guidance that wider social and environmental costs and benefits should be looked at due to the complex nature of public health. This was reflected in the theoretical underpinning as the majority of guidance was categorised as extra-welfarist. Conclusions In this novel review we argue that health economics may have come full circle from its roots in broad public policy economics. We may find it useful to think in this broader paradigm with respect to public health economics. We offer a 12 point checklist to support government, NHS commissioners and individual health economists in their consideration of economic evaluation methodology with respect to the additional challenges of applying health economics to public health. PMID:24153037

Public health economics: a systematic review of guidance for the economic evaluation of public health interventions and discussion of key methodological issues.

PubMed

Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor; Charles, Joanna Mary; Lloyd-Williams, Huw

2013-10-24

If Public Health is the science and art of how society collectively aims to improve health, and reduce inequalities in health, then Public Health Economics is the science and art of supporting decision making as to how society can use its available resources to best meet these objectives and minimise opportunity cost. A systematic review of published guidance for the economic evaluation of public health interventions within this broad public policy paradigm was conducted. Electronic databases and organisation websites were searched using a 22 year time horizon (1990-2012). References of papers were hand searched for additional papers for inclusion. Government reports or peer-reviewed published papers were included if they; referred to the methods of economic evaluation of public health interventions, identified key challenges of conducting economic evaluations of public health interventions or made recommendations for conducting economic evaluations of public health interventions. Guidance was divided into three categories UK guidance, international guidance and observations or guidance provided by individual commentators in the field of public health economics. An assessment of the theoretical frameworks underpinning the guidance was made and served as a rationale for categorising the papers. We identified 5 international guidance documents, 7 UK guidance documents and 4 documents by individual commentators. The papers reviewed identify the main methodological challenges that face analysts when conducting such evaluations. There is a consensus within the guidance that wider social and environmental costs and benefits should be looked at due to the complex nature of public health. This was reflected in the theoretical underpinning as the majority of guidance was categorised as extra-welfarist. In this novel review we argue that health economics may have come full circle from its roots in broad public policy economics. We may find it useful to think in this broader paradigm with respect to public health economics. We offer a 12 point checklist to support government, NHS commissioners and individual health economists in their consideration of economic evaluation methodology with respect to the additional challenges of applying health economics to public health.

The economics of health information technology in medication management: a systematic review of economic evaluations.

PubMed

O'Reilly, Daria; Tarride, Jean-Eric; Goeree, Ron; Lokker, Cynthia; McKibbon, K Ann

2012-01-01

To conduct a systematic review and synthesis of the evidence surrounding the cost-effectiveness of health information technology (HIT) in the medication process. Peer-reviewed electronic databases and gray literature were searched to identify studies on HIT used to assist in the medication management process. Articles including an economic component were reviewed for further screening. For this review, full cost-effectiveness analyses, cost-utility analyses and cost-benefit analyses, as well as cost analyses, were eligible for inclusion and synthesis. The 31 studies included were heterogeneous with respect to the HIT evaluated, setting, and economic methods used. Thus the data could not be synthesized, and a narrative review was conducted. Most studies evaluated computer decision support systems in hospital settings in the USA, and only five of the studied performed full economic evaluations. Most studies merely provided cost data; however, useful economic data involves far more input. A full economic evaluation includes a full enumeration of the costs, synthesized with the outcomes of the intervention. The quality of the economic literature in this area is poor. A few studies found that HIT may offer cost advantages despite their increased acquisition costs. However, given the uncertainty that surrounds the costs and outcomes data, and limited study designs, it is difficult to reach any definitive conclusion as to whether the additional costs and benefits represent value for money. Sophisticated concurrent prospective economic evaluations need to be conducted to address whether HIT interventions in the medication management process are cost-effective.

Influenza vaccines in low and middle income countries: a systematic review of economic evaluations.

PubMed

Ott, Jördis J; Klein Breteler, Janna; Tam, John S; Hutubessy, Raymond C W; Jit, Mark; de Boer, Michiel R

2013-07-01

Economic evaluations on influenza vaccination from low resource settings are scarce and have not been evaluated using a systematic approach. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review on the value for money of influenza vaccination in low- and middle-income countries. PubMed and EMBASE were searched for economic evaluations published in any language between 1960 and 2011. Main outcome measures were costs per influenza outcome averted, costs per quality-adjusted life years gained or disability-adjusted life years averted, costs per benefit in monetary units or cost-benefit ratios. Nine economic evaluations on seasonal influenza vaccine met the inclusion criteria. These were model- or randomized-controlled-trial (RCT)-based economic evaluations from middle-income countries. Influenza vaccination provided value for money for elderly, infants, adults and children with high-risk conditions. Vaccination was cost-effective and cost-saving for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and in elderly above 65 y from model-based evaluations, but conclusions from RCTs on elderly varied. Economic evaluations from middle income regions differed in population studied, outcomes and definitions used. Most findings are in line with evidence from high-income countries highlighting that influenza vaccine is likely to provide value for money. However, serious methodological limitations do not allow drawing conclusions on cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination in middle income countries. Evidence on cost-effectiveness from low-income countries is lacking altogether, and more information is needed from full economic evaluations that are conducted in a standardized manner.

Biosimilar medicines and cost-effectiveness

PubMed Central

Simoens, Steven

2011-01-01

Given that biosimilars are agents that are similar but not identical to the reference biopharmaceutical, this study aims to introduce and describe specific issues related to the economic evaluation of biosimilars by focusing on the relative costs, relative effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of biosimilars. Economic evaluation assesses the cost-effectiveness of a medicine by comparing the costs and outcomes of a medicine with those of a relevant comparator. The assessment of cost-effectiveness of a biosimilar is complicated by the fact that evidence needed to obtain marketing authorization from a registration authority does not always correspond to the data requirements of a reimbursement authority. In particular, this relates to the availability of adequately powered equivalence or noninferiority studies, the need for comparative data about the effectiveness in a real-world setting rather than the efficacy in a structured setting, and the use of health outcome measures instead of surrogate endpoints. As a biosimilar is likely to be less expensive than the comparator (eg, the reference biopharmaceutical), the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a biosimilar depends on the relative effectiveness. If appropriately designed and powered clinical studies demonstrate equivalent effectiveness between a biosimilar and the comparator, then a cost-minimization analysis identifies the least expensive medicine. If there are differences in the effectiveness of a biosimilar and the comparator, other techniques of economic evaluation need to be employed, such as cost-effectiveness analysis or cost-utility analysis. Given that there may be uncertainty surrounding the long-term safety (ie, risk of immunogenicity and rare adverse events) and effectiveness of a biosimilar, the cost-effectiveness of a biosimilar needs to be calculated at multiple time points throughout the life cycle of the product. PMID:21935330

Research on Novel Algorithms for Smart Grid Reliability Assessment and Economic Dispatch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Wenjin

In this dissertation, several studies of electric power system reliability and economy assessment methods are presented. To be more precise, several algorithms in evaluating power system reliability and economy are studied. Furthermore, two novel algorithms are applied to this field and their simulation results are compared with conventional results. As the electrical power system develops towards extra high voltage, remote distance, large capacity and regional networking, the application of a number of new technique equipments and the electric market system have be gradually established, and the results caused by power cut has become more and more serious. The electrical power system needs the highest possible reliability due to its complication and security. In this dissertation the Boolean logic Driven Markov Process (BDMP) method is studied and applied to evaluate power system reliability. This approach has several benefits. It allows complex dynamic models to be defined, while maintaining its easy readability as conventional methods. This method has been applied to evaluate IEEE reliability test system. The simulation results obtained are close to IEEE experimental data which means that it could be used for future study of the system reliability. Besides reliability, modern power system is expected to be more economic. This dissertation presents a novel evolutionary algorithm named as quantum evolutionary membrane algorithm (QEPS), which combines the concept and theory of quantum-inspired evolutionary algorithm and membrane computation, to solve the economic dispatch problem in renewable power system with on land and offshore wind farms. The case derived from real data is used for simulation tests. Another conventional evolutionary algorithm is also used to solve the same problem for comparison. The experimental results show that the proposed method is quick and accurate to obtain the optimal solution which is the minimum cost for electricity supplied by wind farm system.

An improved method to represent DEM uncertainty in glacial lake outburst flood propagation using stochastic simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, Cameron S.; Carrivick, Jonathan; Quincey, Duncan

2015-10-01

Modelling glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) or 'jökulhlaups', necessarily involves the propagation of large and often stochastic uncertainties throughout the source to impact process chain. Since flood routing is primarily a function of underlying topography, communication of digital elevation model (DEM) uncertainty should accompany such modelling efforts. Here, a new stochastic first-pass assessment technique was evaluated against an existing GIS-based model and an existing 1D hydrodynamic model, using three DEMs with different spatial resolution. The analysis revealed the effect of DEM uncertainty and model choice on several flood parameters and on the prediction of socio-economic impacts. Our new model, which we call MC-LCP (Monte Carlo Least Cost Path) and which is distributed in the supplementary information, demonstrated enhanced 'stability' when compared to the two existing methods, and this 'stability' was independent of DEM choice. The MC-LCP model outputs an uncertainty continuum within its extent, from which relative socio-economic risk can be evaluated. In a comparison of all DEM and model combinations, the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM exhibited fewer artefacts compared to those with the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM), and were comparable to those with a finer resolution Advanced Land Observing Satellite Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping (ALOS PRISM) derived DEM. Overall, we contend that the variability we find between flood routing model results suggests that consideration of DEM uncertainty and pre-processing methods is important when assessing flow routing and when evaluating potential socio-economic implications of a GLOF event. Incorporation of a stochastic variable provides an illustration of uncertainty that is important when modelling and communicating assessments of an inherently complex process.

Solar energy system economic evaluation: Fern Tunkhannock, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-09-01

The economic performance of an Operational Test Site (OTS) is described. The long term economic performance of the system at its installation site and extrapolation to four additional selected locations to demonstrate the viability of the design over a broad range of environmental and economic conditions is reported. Topics discussed are: system description, study approach, economic analysis and system optimization, and technical and economical results of analysis. Data for the economic analysis are generated through evaluation of the OTS. The simulation is based on the technical results of the seasonal report simulation. In addition localized and standard economic parameters are used for economic analysis.

Solar energy system economic evaluation: Fern Tunkhannock, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The economic performance of an Operational Test Site (OTS) is described. The long term economic performance of the system at its installation site and extrapolation to four additional selected locations to demonstrate the viability of the design over a broad range of environmental and economic conditions is reported. Topics discussed are: system description, study approach, economic analysis and system optimization, and technical and economical results of analysis. Data for the economic analysis are generated through evaluation of the OTS. The simulation is based on the technical results of the seasonal report simulation. In addition localized and standard economic parameters are used for economic analysis.

CARDIOVASCULAR SCREENING OF YOUNG ATHLETES: A REVIEW OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS.

PubMed

Gerkens, Sophie; Van Brabandt, Hans; Desomer, Anja; Leonard, Christian; Neyt, Mattias

2017-01-01

Some experts have promoted preparticipative cardiovascular screening programs for young athletes and have claimed that such programs were cost-effective without performing a critical analysis of studies supporting this statement. In this systematic review, a critical assessment of economic evaluations on these programs is performed to determine if they really provide value for money. A systematic review of economic evaluations was performed on December 24, 2014. Web sites of health technology assessment agencies, the Cochrane database of systematic review, the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database of the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, Psychinfo, and EconLit were searched to retrieve (reviews of) economic evaluations. No language or time restrictions were imposed and predefined selection criteria were used. Selected studies were critically assessed applying a structured data extraction sheet. Five relevant economic evaluations were critically assessed. Results of these studies were mixed. However, those in favor of screening made (methodological) incorrect choices, of which the most important one was not taking into account a no-screening alternative as comparator. Compared with no screening, other strategies (history and physical examination or history and physical examination plus electrocardiogram) were not considered cost-effective. Results of primary economic evaluations should not be blindly copied without critical assessment. Economic evaluations in this field lack the support of robust evidence. Negative consequences of screening (false positive findings, overtreatment) should also be taken into account and may cause more harm than good. A mass screening of young athletes for cardiovascular diseases does not provide value for money and should be discouraged.

Economic Evaluation Research in the Context of Child Welfare Policy: A Structured Literature Review and Recommendations

PubMed Central

Goldhaber-Fiebert, Jeremy D.; Snowden, Lonnie R.; Wulczyn, Fred; Landsverk, John; Horwitz, Sarah M.

2011-01-01

Objectives With over 1 million children served by the U.S. Child Welfare system at a cost of $20 billion annually, this study examines the economic evaluation literature on interventions to improve outcomes for children at risk for and currently involved with the system, identifies areas where additional research is needed, and discusses the use of decision-analytic modeling to advance Child Welfare policy and practice. Methods The review included 19 repositories of peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed “gray” literatures, including items in English published before November, 2009. Original research articles were included if they evaluated interventions based on costs and outcomes. Review articles were included to assess the relevance of these techniques over time and to highlight the increasing discussion of methods needed to undertake such research. Items were categorized by their focus on: interventions for the U.S. Child Welfare system; primary prevention of entry into the system; and use of models to make long-term projections of costs and outcomes. Results Searches identified 2,640 articles, with 49 ultimately included (19 reviews and 30 original research articles). Between 1988 and 2009, reviews consistently advocated economic evaluation and increasingly provided methodological guidance. 21 of the original research articles focused on Child Welfare, while 9 focused on child mental health. Of the 21 Child Welfare articles, 81% (17) focused on the U.S. system. 47% (8/17) focused exclusively on primary prevention, though 83% of the U.S. system, peer-reviewed articles focused exclusively on prevention (5/6). 9 of the 17 articles included empirical follow-up (mean sample size: 264 individuals; mean follow-up: 3.8 years). 10 of the 17 articles used modeling to project longer-term outcomes, but 80% of the articles using modeling were not peer-reviewed. Although 60% of modeling studies included interventions for children in the system, all peer-reviewed modeling articles focused on prevention. Conclusions Methodological guidance for economic evaluations in Child Welfare is increasingly available. Such analyses are feasible given the availability of nationally-representative data on children involved with Child Welfare and evidence-based interventions. Practice Implications Policy analyses considering the long-term costs and effects of interventions to improve Child Welfare outcomes are scarce, feasible, and urgently needed. PMID:21944552

A reference case for economic evaluations in osteoarthritis: an expert consensus article from the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO).

PubMed

Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Cooper, Cyrus; Guillemin, Francis; Hochberg, Marc C; Tugwell, Peter; Arden, Nigel; Berenbaum, Francis; Boers, Maarten; Boonen, Annelies; Branco, Jaime C; Maria-Luisa, Brandi; Bruyère, Olivier; Gasparik, Andrea; Kanis, John A; Kvien, Tore K; Martel-Pelletier, Johanne; Pelletier, Jean-Pierre; Pinedo-Villanueva, Rafael; Pinto, Daniel; Reiter-Niesert, Susanne; Rizzoli, René; Rovati, Lucio C; Severens, Johan L; Silverman, Stuart; Reginster, Jean-Yves

2014-12-01

General recommendations for a reference case for economic studies in rheumatic diseases were published in 2002 in an initiative to improve the comparability of cost-effectiveness studies in the field. Since then, economic evaluations in osteoarthritis (OA) continue to show considerable heterogeneity in methodological approach. To develop a reference case specific for economic studies in OA, including the standard optimal care, with which to judge new pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. Four subgroups of an ESCEO expert working group on economic assessments (13 experts representing diverse aspects of clinical research and/or economic evaluations) were charged with producing lists of recommendations that would potentially improve the comparability of economic analyses in OA: outcome measures, comparators, costs and methodology. These proposals were discussed and refined during a face-to-face meeting in 2013. They are presented here in the format of the recommendations of the recently published Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement, so that an initiative on economic analysis methodology might be consolidated with an initiative on reporting standards. Overall, three distinct reference cases are proposed, one for each hand, knee and hip OA; with diagnostic variations in the first two, giving rise to different treatment options: interphalangeal or thumb-based disease for hand OA and the presence or absence of joint malalignment for knee OA. A set of management strategies is proposed, which should be further evaluated to help establish a consensus on the "standard optimal care" in each proposed reference case. The recommendations on outcome measures, cost itemisation and methodological approaches are also provided. The ESCEO group proposes a set of disease-specific recommendations on the conduct and reporting of economic evaluations in OA that could help the standardisation and comparability of studies that evaluate therapeutic strategies of OA in terms of costs and effectiveness. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A review on highlights and feasibility studies on solar energy utilization in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahid, Siti Sufiah Abd; Ramli, Mohd Sufian; Noorden, Zulkarnain Ahmad; Hassan, Khairul Kamarudin; Azli, Shakira Azeehan

2017-08-01

Over the years, solar has been one of the main substitutes of electricity resources worldwide including Malaysia in effort to reduce the dependency on the conventional fossil fuel. In this paper, the status of solar energy in Malaysia Plans is investigated while the techniques used in various techno-economic and economic feasibility studies on the implementation of solar energy system are analyzed. The state of awareness and understanding on solar energy among Malaysians is also determined. It has been found that a mathematical formulation method as well as an iterative technique which both consider lots of uncertainties are capable in optimally designing a photovoltaic, PV system while minimizing the cost. Meanwhile, a financial model using probabilistic and sensitivity analysis is able to provide the potential investors with the profitability of a PV project. Finally, several surveys has proven that Malaysian people are lack of awareness, information thus interest on solar technology. Therefore, in evaluating the feasibilities of a PV system, it is suggested that considerations on all solar-related variables must be taken into account while at the same time the Government of Malaysia, GoM should play the main role by providing more aggressive programmes and schemes in order to educate and expose Malaysian citizens with knowledge and skills on solar energy.

Current assessment of the effects of environmental chemicals on the mammary gland in guideline rodent studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and National Toxicology Program (NTP).

PubMed

Makris, Susan L

2011-08-01

Evaluation of the structural and/or functional integrity of the mammary gland (MG) across life stages is integral to the assessment of developmental, reproductive, and carcinogenic risk for environmental chemicals. In this commentary I characterize MG assessment recommended in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and National Toxicology Program guideline toxicology study protocols and identify any information gaps for the evaluation of MG development, structure, and function. Several data gaps, issues, and challenges were identified. Current guidelines that include a lactation phase do not provide specific recommendations to record observations on maternal or offspring lactation or nursing behavior. In guideline studies, the assessment of MG toxicity often relies upon indirect, nonspecific, or surrogate end points, and information that could be useful in the interpretation of these data (e.g., mode of action or toxicokinetics) is often unavailable. Most guideline studies designed to assess general organ toxicity do not expose test animals during sensitive stages of MG development; histopathological evaluation of the developing MG is not routinely conducted; and evaluation of MG tissue for both sexes is inconsistently recommended. I propose the following general recommendations to enhance MG assessment in guideline toxicology studies: a) inclusion of more specific criteria for the evaluation of MG end points in guideline language, b) inclusion of histopathological evaluation of MG development (using whole-mount techniques) in existing or new guideline protocols that include offspring with perinatal and/or pubertal treatment, c) incorporation of perinatal exposures into rodent subchronic and carcinogenicity assays, and d) expansion of the histopathological evaluation of male MG tissue.

Current Assessment of the Effects of Environmental Chemicals on the Mammary Gland in Guideline Rodent Studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and National Toxicology Program (NTP)

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background: Evaluation of the structural and/or functional integrity of the mammary gland (MG) across life stages is integral to the assessment of developmental, reproductive, and carcinogenic risk for environmental chemicals. Objectives: In this commentary I characterize MG assessment recommended in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and National Toxicology Program guideline toxicology study protocols and identify any information gaps for the evaluation of MG development, structure, and function. Discussion: Several data gaps, issues, and challenges were identified. Current guidelines that include a lactation phase do not provide specific recommendations to record observations on maternal or offspring lactation or nursing behavior. In guideline studies, the assessment of MG toxicity often relies upon indirect, nonspecific, or surrogate end points, and information that could be useful in the interpretation of these data (e.g., mode of action or toxicokinetics) is often unavailable. Most guideline studies designed to assess general organ toxicity do not expose test animals during sensitive stages of MG development; histopathological evaluation of the developing MG is not routinely conducted; and evaluation of MG tissue for both sexes is inconsistently recommended. Conclusions: I propose the following general recommendations to enhance MG assessment in guideline toxicology studies: a) inclusion of more specific criteria for the evaluation of MG end points in guideline language, b) inclusion of histopathological evaluation of MG development (using whole-mount techniques) in existing or new guideline protocols that include offspring with perinatal and/or pubertal treatment, c) incorporation of perinatal exposures into rodent subchronic and carcinogenicity assays, and d) expansion of the histopathological evaluation of male MG tissue. PMID:21118785

Applying multi-criteria decision-making to improve the waste reduction policy in Taiwan.

PubMed

Su, Jun-Pin; Hung, Ming-Lung; Chao, Chia-Wei; Ma, Hwong-wen

2010-01-01

Over the past two decades, the waste reduction problem has been a major issue in environmental protection. Both recycling and waste reduction policies have become increasingly important. As the complexity of decision-making has increased, it has become evident that more factors must be considered in the development and implementation of policies aimed at resource recycling and waste reduction. There are many studies focused on waste management excluding waste reduction. This study paid more attention to waste reduction. Social, economic, and management aspects of waste treatment policies were considered in this study. Further, a life-cycle assessment model was applied as an evaluation system for the environmental aspect. Results of both quantitative and qualitative analyses on the social, economic, and management aspects were integrated via the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method into the comprehensive decision-making support system of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). A case study evaluating the waste reduction policy in Taoyuan County is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of this model. In the case study, reinforcement of MSW sorting was shown to be the best practice. The model in this study can be applied to other cities faced with the waste reduction problems.

Back-to-the-future: a fresh policy initiative for fisheries and a restoration ecology for ocean ecosystems

PubMed Central

Pitcher, Tony J.

2005-01-01

‘Back-to-the-future’ (BTF) is an integrative approach to a restoration ecology of the oceans that attempts to solve the fisheries crisis. To this end, it harnesses the latest understanding of ecosystem processes, developments in whole ecosystem simulation modelling, and insight into the human dimension of fisheries management. BTF includes new methods for describing past ecosystems, designing fisheries that meet criteria for sustainability and responsibility, and evaluating the costs and benefits of fisheries in restored ecosystems. Evaluation of alternative policy choices, involving trade-offs between conservation and economic values, employs a range of economic, social and ecological measures. Automated searches maximize values of objective functions, and the methodology includes analyses of model parameter uncertainty. Participatory workshops attempt to maximize compliance by fostering a sense of ownership among all stakeholders. Some challenges that have still to be met include improving methods for quantitatively describing the past, reducing uncertainty in ecosystem simulation techniques and in making policy choices robust against climate change. Critical issues include whether past ecosystems make viable policy goals, and whether desirable goals may be reached from today’s ecosystem. Examples from case studies in British Columbia, Newfoundland and elsewhere are presented. PMID:15713591

Mississippi Sound Remote Sensing Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atwell, B. H.

1973-01-01

The Mississippi Sound Remote Sensing Study was initiated as part of the research program of the NASA Earth Resources Laboratory. The objective of this study is development of remote sensing techniques to study near-shore marine waters. Included within this general objective are the following: (1) evaluate existing techniques and instruments used for remote measurement of parameters of interest within these waters; (2) develop methods for interpretation of state-of-the-art remote sensing data which are most meaningful to an understanding of processes taking place within near-shore waters; (3) define hardware development requirements and/or system specifications; (4) develop a system combining data from remote and surface measurements which will most efficiently assess conditions in near-shore waters; (5) conduct projects in coordination with appropriate operating agencies to demonstrate applicability of this research to environmental and economic problems.

Selection of Hidden Layer Neurons and Best Training Method for FFNN in Application of Long Term Load Forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Navneet K.; Singh, Asheesh K.; Tripathy, Manoj

2012-05-01

For power industries electricity load forecast plays an important role for real-time control, security, optimal unit commitment, economic scheduling, maintenance, energy management, and plant structure planning etc. A new technique for long term load forecasting (LTLF) using optimized feed forward artificial neural network (FFNN) architecture is presented in this paper, which selects optimal number of neurons in the hidden layer as well as the best training method for the case study. The prediction performance of proposed technique is evaluated using mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of Thailand private electricity consumption and forecasted data. The results obtained are compared with the results of classical auto-regressive (AR) and moving average (MA) methods. It is, in general, observed that the proposed method is prediction wise more accurate.

Spray pyrolytic deposition of α-MoO3 film and its use in dye-sensitized solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamboli, Parvin S.; Jagtap, Chaitali V.; Kadam, Vishal S.; Ingle, Ravi V.; Vhatkar, Rajiv S.; Mahajan, Smita S.; Pathan, Habib M.

2018-04-01

Thermal decomposition of ammonium para molybdate tetrahydrate precursor has been studied to determine degradation temperatures in air atmosphere. Current work explores the synthesis of α-MoO3 films by an economical spray pyrolysis technique using ammonium para molybdate tetrahydrate precursor in the presence of compressed air. A variety of characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and Raman spectroscopy were carried out, and the studies have confirmed that orthorhombic phase formation of MoO3 takes place with spongy mesh-type structure. The study of electro-catalytic activity of α-MoO3 in titania-based dye-sensitized solar cell is also carried out by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Tafel curves to evaluate its performance as a counter electrode.

[Efficiency assessment of investment in workers' health--economic issues].

PubMed

Rydlewska-Liszkowska, Izabela; Dawydzik, Lech T

2002-01-01

The economic analysis of efficiency of investment in health care and health at large by means of cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness techniques is the subject of implementation work in a number of countries. Poland's integration with the countries of the European Union justifies the need to understand and to use economic analyses. Unfortunately, these activities encounter many methodological and executive barriers. The investments in workers' health are not only investments in health care and the improvement of working conditions, but also in compensations, including financial ones, resulting from adverse effects of factors influencing the health of working population. The financial reporting system that exists in Poland does not ensure the possibility of full presentation of the aggregated data on the financing of activities for workers' health and diminishing of the adverse effects of factors present in the work environment. The information on the outcome of the investments in workers' health come from different sources, which means that it applies to different groups subjected to the analysis. The problem lies not only in the assessment of profitability of health investments but also in the social problem of the division of the resultant costs and benefits among various branches of the national economy. Therefore, the analyses involving mutual relations between individual sectors that invest in workers' health and those that bear consequences is essential in the terms of economic analyses. The authors present the determinants of economic evaluation in regard to health of working population in Poland.

A methodology to incorporate life cycle analysis and the triple bottom line mechanism for sustainable management of industrial enterprises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ling; Lin, Li

2004-02-01

Since 1970"s, the environmental protection movement has challenged industries to increase their investment in Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing (ECM) techniques and management tools. Social considerations for global citizens and their descendants also motivated the examination on the complex issues of sustainable development beyond the immediate economic impact. Consequently, industrial enterprises have started to understand sustainable development in considering the Triple Bottom Line (TBL): economic prosperity, environmental quality and social justice. For the management, however, a lack of systematic ECM methodologies hinders their effort in planning, evaluating, reporting and auditing of sustainability. To address this critical need, this research develops a framework of a sustainable management system by incorporating a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of industrial operations with the TBL mechanism. A TBL metric system with seven sets of indices for the TBL elements and their complex relations is identified for the comprehensive evaluation of a company"s sustainability performance. Utilities of the TBL indices are estimated to represent the views of various stakeholders, including the company, investors, employees and the society at large. Costs of these indices are also captured to reflect the company"s effort in meeting the utilities. An optimization model is formulated to maximize the economic, environmental and social benefits by the company"s effort in developing sustainable strategies. To promote environmental and social consciousness, the methodology can significantly facilitate management decisions by its capabilities of including "non-business" values and external costs that the company has not contemplated before.

New generation cut-and-seal devices in oral and oropharyngeal cancer resection: clinical and cost-effectiveness study.

PubMed

Tirelli, G; Del Piero, G C; Valentinuz, G; Monte, A; Gatto, A; Rebelli, A; Quatela, E

2018-04-01

To evaluate the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of ultrasonic shears and the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing system, in comparison to the traditional cold knife and bipolar forceps, in oral and oropharyngeal cancer surgery. Patients who underwent oral or oropharyngeal cancer resection and neck dissection with either ultrasonic shears (n = 36) or electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing (n = 32) were enrolled. Surgical time, intra-operative bleeding, blood drainage, post-operative pain, neck oedema, complications and hospitalisation duration were compared to those of an historical cohort of 36 patients treated using a cold knife and bipolar forceps. Additionally, a cost-effectiveness evaluation was performed. Ultrasonic shears and, in particular, electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing, were advantageous compared to the traditional techniques. The cost of ultrasonic shears and electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing was completely offset by declining time-driven costs for the surgical team and operating theatre. Ultrasonic shears and, in particular, electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing, are more advantageous compared to the traditional techniques, from both a clinical and economic point of view.

Disruption in the diabetic device care market

PubMed Central

Mohammed, Raihan

2018-01-01

As diabetes mellitus (DM) has approached pandemic proportions, the pressure for effective glycemic management is mounting. The starting point for managing and living well with DM involves early diagnosis and monitoring blood glucose levels. Therefore, self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) can help patients maintain their blood glucose levels within the appropriate range. The general principle behind the current SMBG method involves a finger prick test to obtain a blood drop, which is applied onto a reagent strip and read by an automated device. Novel techniques are currently under evaluation to create the next generation of painless and accurate glucose monitoring for DM. We began by outlining how the emerging technology of the noninvasive glucose monitoring devices (NIGMDs) provides both economic and clinical benefits for health systems and patients. We further explored the engineering and techniques behind these upcoming devices. Finally, we evaluated how the NIGMDs disrupt the diabetic device care market and drive health care consumerism. We postulated that the NIGMDs play a pivotal role in the implementation of next generation of diabetes prevention strategies. PMID:29440935

Evaluating quantity and quality of literature focusing on health economics and pharmacoeconomics in Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

PubMed

Eljilany, Islam; El-Dahiyat, Faris; Curley, Louise Elizabeth; Babar, Zaheer-Ud-Din

2018-05-30

The importance of pharmacoeconomics and health economics has been augmented. It has the potential to provide evidence to aid in optimal decision-making in the funding of cost-effective medicines and services in Gulf Cooperation Council countries (G.C.C). To evaluate the quality and quantity of health economic researches published until the end of 2017 in G.C.C. and to identify the factors that affect the quality of studies. Studies were included according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quantity was recorded, and the quality was assessed using the Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument. Forty-nine studies were included. The mean (SD) quality score of all studies was 57.83 (25.05), and a high number of reviewed studies (47%) were evaluated as either poor or extremely poor quality. The factors that affect the quality of studies with statistical significance were, the type and method of economic evaluation, the economic outcome was the objective of the research, author`s background, the perspective of the study, health intervention and source of funding. The use of economic evaluation studies in G.C.C was limited. Different factors that affect the quality of articles such as performing a full economic evaluation and choosing societal perspective were identified. Strategies to improve the quality of future studies were recommended.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement.

PubMed

Husereau, Don; Drummond, Michael; Petrou, Stavros; Carswell, Chris; Moher, David; Greenberg, Dan; Augustovski, Federico; Briggs, Andrew H; Mauskopf, Josephine; Loder, Elizabeth

2013-06-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website ( www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp). We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in five years.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement.

PubMed

Husereau, Don; Drummond, Michael; Petrou, Stavros; Carswell, Chris; Moher, David; Greenberg, Dan; Augustovski, Federico; Briggs, Andrew H; Mauskopf, Josephine; Loder, Elizabeth

2013-04-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website (www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp). We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in five years.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement.

PubMed

Husereau, Don; Drummond, Michael; Petrou, Stavros; Carswell, Chris; Moher, David; Greenberg, Dan; Augustovski, Federico; Briggs, Andrew H; Mauskopf, Josephine; Loder, Elizabeth

2013-05-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication.The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website ( www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp ).We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in five years.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement.

PubMed

Husereau, Don; Drummond, Michael; Petrou, Stavros; Carswell, Chris; Moher, David; Greenberg, Dan; Augustovski, Federico; Briggs, Andrew H; Mauskopf, Josephine; Loder, Elizabeth

2013-03-25

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website (www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp). We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in five years.

Economic evaluation in the context of rare diseases: is it possible?

PubMed

Silva, Everton Nunes da; Sousa, Tanara Rosângela Vieira

2015-03-01

This study analyzes the available evidence on the adequacy of economic evaluation for decision-making on the incorporation or exclusion of technologies for rare diseases. The authors conducted a structured literature review in MEDLINE via PubMed, CRD, LILACS, SciELO, and Google Scholar (gray literature). Economic evaluation studies had their origins in Welfare Economics, in which individuals maximize their utilities based on allocative efficiency. There is no widely accepted criterion in the literature to weigh the expected utilities, in the sense of assigning more weight to individuals with greater health needs. Thus, economic evaluation studies do not usually weigh utilities asymmetrically (that is, everyone is treated equally, which in Brazil is also a Constitutional principle). Healthcare systems have ratified the use of economic evaluation as the main tool to assist decision-making. However, this approach does not rule out the use of other methodologies to complement cost-effectiveness studies, such as Person Trade-Off and Rule of Rescue.

Presentation of economic evaluation results.

PubMed

Chaikledkaew, Usa

2014-05-01

The first HTA guidelines for Thailand included a chapter outlining a set of guidelines on how best to report the findings of health economic evaluations, based on a review of best practice and existing guidelines on the presentation of economic evaluation results from around the world. In this second edition of HTA guidelines for Thailand, the recommendations build on the first edition by using a case study to illustrate how the guidelines can be applied in a real research context. The guidelines propose that all reporting include ten key elements: defining the scope of the study, selection of comparator(s), defining the type of economic evaluation, measurement of costs, measurement of clinical effects, handling time in economic evaluation studies, handling uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, presentation of the results, discussion of the results, and disclosure of funding and authors conflict of interest.

Comparative Effectiveness and Economic Evaluations of Open Versus Minimally Invasive Posterior or Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Goldstein, Christina L; Phillips, Frank M; Rampersaud, Y Raja

2016-04-01

Systematic review of randomized and nonrandomized comparative studies. To summarize the literature examining comparative effectiveness and economic evaluation of minimally invasive versus open transforaminal/posterior lumbar interbody fusion (T/PLIF). Minimally invasive approaches to lumbar fusion have been proposed as an alternative to open surgery to decrease patient morbidity and improve clinical and patient-reported outcomes, with the possibility of secondary cost-savings. The comparative clinical and economic effectiveness of minimally invasive versus open T/PLIF remains largely undetermined. A systematic review of Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane from database inception to September 2015 inclusive was performed. Reference lists were manually searched. Studies comparing MIS to open T/PLIF for degenerative lumbar conditions, including at least 10 patients in each arm and reporting at least one clinical, perioperative, radiographic, adverse event, or economic outcome, were included. Between database inception and October 2015, 45 studies meeting inclusion criteria were identified with 3472 subjects undergoing MIS fusion and 5925 having an open procedure. There were no significant differences in operative time between the two groups, whereas patients undergoing MIS fusion consistently demonstrated less blood loss (16.1-88.7%) and shorter hospital stays (15.0-64.0% shorter). There was no difference in variably reported VAS, ODI, SF-36, SF-12, or EQ-5D scores between the two techniques at intermediate to long-term follow-up (12-60 months). Complication rates and fusion rates were also equivalent between the two groups. Economic studies demonstrate cost-savings in favor of MIS fusion ranging from 2.5 to 49.3%. Limited quality comparative observational cohort and randomized controlled studies of MIS versus open T/PLIF consistently demonstrate improved perioperative outcomes including operative time, estimated blood loss, and length of stay with no significant difference in patient-reported outcomes or complication rates between the two groups at final follow-up. Increasing economic data suggest both direct and indirect cost-savings in favor of MIS fusion. N/A.

Economic valuation of the downstream hydrological effects of land use change: Large hydroelectric reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aylward, Bruce Allan

1998-12-01

Land use change that accompanies economic development and population growth is intended to raise the economic productivity of land. An inevitable by product of this process is the alteration of natural vegetation and downstream hydrological function. This dissertation explores hydrological externalities of land use change in detail, particularly with regard to their economic impact on large hydroelectric reservoirs (LHRs). A review of the linkages between land use, hydrological function and downstream economic activity suggests that on theoretical grounds the net welfare effect of land use change on hydrological function will be indeterminate. Review of the literature suggests that, though the effects of downstream sedimentation will typically be negative, they may often be of little practical significance. The literature on water quantity impacts is sparse at best. This is most surprising in the case of the literature on LHRs where the potentially important and positive effects of increased water yield are typically ignored in favor of simplistic efforts to document the negative effects of reservoir sedimentation. In order to improve the methodological basis for the economic valuation of hydrological externalities, the dissertation considers existing techniques for the evaluation of non-marketed goods and services, clarifying the manner in which they have been and, in the future, may be applied to the topic at hand. A deterministic simulation model is then constructed for the case of LHRs. The model incorporates the effect of changes in water yield, the seasonal pattern of water yield and sedimentation of live and dead storage volumes as they affect reservoir operation and the production of hydroelectricity. The welfare effects of changes in the productivity of the LHR in the short run and changes to the power system expansion plan in the long run are evaluated using the marginal opportunity costs of alternative power sources and power plants, respectively. A case study from Costa Rica suggests that the effect of converting tropical forest to pasture for livestock production, in terms of the associated increase in annual water yield, are positive and an order of magnitude larger than the negative effect of sedimentation on power production.

Analysis of space systems study for the space disposal of nuclear waste study report. Volume 2: Technical report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Reasonable space systems concepts were systematically identified and defined and a total system was evaluated for the space disposal of nuclear wastes. Areas studied include space destinations, space transportation options, launch site options payload protection approaches, and payload rescue techniques. Systems level cost and performance trades defined four alternative space systems which deliver payloads to the selected 0.85 AU heliocentric orbit destination at least as economically as the reference system without requiring removal of the protective radiation shield container. No concepts significantly less costly than the reference concept were identified.

Effectiveness of streambank-stabilization techniques along the Kenai River, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dorava, Joseph M.

1999-01-01

The Kenai River in southcentral Alaska is the State's most popular sport fishery and an economically important salmon river that generates as much as $70 million annually. Boatwake-induced streambank erosion and the associated damage to riparian and riverine habitat present a potential threat to this fishery. Bank-stabilization techniques commonly in use along the Kenai River were selected for evaluation of their effectiveness at attenuating boatwakes and retarding streambank erosion. Spruce trees cabled to the bank and biodegradable man-made logs (called 'bio-logs') pinned to the bank were tested because they are commonly used techniques along the river. These two techniques were compared for their ability to reduce wake heights that strike the bank and to reduce erosion of bank material, as well as for the amount and quality of habitat they provide for juvenile chinook salmon. Additionally, an engineered bank-stabilization project was evaluated because this method of bank protection is being encouraged by managers of the river. During a test that included 20 controlled boat passes, the spruce trees and the bio-log provided a similar reduction in boatwake height and bank erosion; however, the spruce trees provided a greater amount of protective habitat than the bio-log. The engineered bank-stabilization project eroded less during nine boat passes and provided more protective cover than the adjacent unprotected natural bank. Features of the bank-stabilization techniques, such as tree limbs and willow plantings that extended into the water from the bank, attenuated the boatwakes, which helped reduce erosion. These features also provided protective cover to juvenile salmon.

A review of typhoid fever transmission dynamic models and economic evaluations of vaccination.

PubMed

Watson, Conall H; Edmunds, W John

2015-06-19

Despite a recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO) that typhoid vaccines be considered for the control of endemic disease and outbreaks, programmatic use remains limited. Transmission models and economic evaluation may be informative in decision making about vaccine programme introductions and their role alongside other control measures. A literature search found few typhoid transmission models or economic evaluations relative to analyses of other infectious diseases of similar or lower health burden. Modelling suggests vaccines alone are unlikely to eliminate endemic disease in the short to medium term without measures to reduce transmission from asymptomatic carriage. The single identified data-fitted transmission model of typhoid vaccination suggests vaccines can reduce disease burden substantially when introduced programmatically but that indirect protection depends on the relative contribution of carriage to transmission in a given setting. This is an important source of epidemiological uncertainty, alongside the extent and nature of natural immunity. Economic evaluations suggest that typhoid vaccination can be cost-saving to health services if incidence is extremely high and cost-effective in other high-incidence situations, when compared to WHO norms. Targeting vaccination to the highest incidence age-groups is likely to improve cost-effectiveness substantially. Economic perspective and vaccine costs substantially affect estimates, with disease incidence, case-fatality rates, and vaccine efficacy over time also important determinants of cost-effectiveness and sources of uncertainty. Static economic models may under-estimate benefits of typhoid vaccination by omitting indirect protection. Typhoid fever transmission models currently require per-setting epidemiological parameterisation to inform their use in economic evaluation, which may limit their generalisability. We found no economic evaluation based on transmission dynamic modelling, and no economic evaluation of typhoid vaccination against interventions such as improvements in sanitation or hygiene. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Economic Evaluations of Opioid Use Disorder Interventions: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Murphy, Sean M.; Polsky, Daniel

2017-01-01

Background The economic costs associated with opioid misuse are immense. Effective interventions for opioid use disorders are available; however, given the scarce resources faced by substance-use treatment providers and payers of all kinds, evidence of effectiveness is not always sufficient to encourage the adoption of a given therapy, nor should it be. Economic evaluations can provide evidence that will help stakeholders efficiently allocate their resources. Objective The purpose of this study was to review the literature on economic evaluations of opioid use disorder interventions. Methods We performed a systematic review of the major electronic databases from inception until present (August 2015). A sensitive approach was used to ensure a comprehensive list of relevant articles. Given the quality of existing reviews, we narrowed our search to studies published since 2007. The Drummond checklist was used to evaluate and categorize economic-evaluation studies according to their quality. Results A total of 98 articles were identified as potentially relevant to the current study. Of these 98 articles, half (n=49) were included in this study. Six of the included articles were review in nature. The remaining 43 articles performed an economic evaluation of an intervention for opioid use disorders. In general, the evidence on methadone-maintenance therapy (MMT) supports previous findings that MMT is an economically advantageous opioid-use-disorder therapy. The economic literature comparing MMT to other opioid-use-disorder pharmacotherapies is limited, as is the literature on other forms of therapy. Conclusions With the possible exception of MMT, additional high-quality economic evaluations are needed in order to assess the relative value of existing opioid-use-disorder interventions. PMID:27002518

A comparison of HAS & NICE guidelines for the economic evaluation of health technologies in the context of their respective national health care systems and cultural environments

PubMed Central

Massetti, Marc; Aballéa, Samuel; Videau, Yann; Rémuzat, Cécile; Roïz, Julie; Toumi, Mondher

2015-01-01

Background Health technology assessment (HTA) has been reinforced in France, notably with the introduction of economic evaluation in the pricing process for the most innovative and expensive treatments. Similarly to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) in England, the National Authority for Health (HAS), which is responsible for economic evaluation of new health technologies in France, has published recommendations on the methods of economic evaluation. Since economic assessment represents a major element of HTA in England, exploring the differences between these methodological guidelines might help to comprehend both the shape and the role economic assessment is intended to have in the French health care system. Methods Methodological guidelines for economic evaluation in France and England have been compared topic-by-topic in order to bring out key differences in the recommended methods for economic evaluation. Results The analysis of both guidelines has revealed multiple similarities between France and England, although a number of differences were also noted regarding the elected methodology of analysis, the comparison of studies’ outcomes with cost-effectiveness thresholds, the study population to consider, the quality of life valuation methods, the perspective on costs, the types of resources considered and their valuation, the discount rates to apply in order to reflect the present value of interventions, etc. To account for these differences, modifications will be required in order to adapt economic models from one country to the other. Conclusions Changes in HTA assessment methods occur in response to different challenges determined by the different philosophical and cultural considerations surrounding health and welfare as well as the political considerations regarding the role of public policies and the importance of their evaluation. PMID:27123190

PROOF OF CONCEPT FOR A HUMAN RELIABILITY ANALYSIS METHOD FOR HEURISTIC USABILITY EVALUATION OF SOFTWARE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ronald L. Boring; David I. Gertman; Jeffrey C. Joe

2005-09-01

An ongoing issue within human-computer interaction (HCI) is the need for simplified or “discount” methods. The current economic slowdown has necessitated innovative methods that are results driven and cost effective. The myriad methods of design and usability are currently being cost-justified, and new techniques are actively being explored that meet current budgets and needs. Recent efforts in human reliability analysis (HRA) are highlighted by the ten-year development of the Standardized Plant Analysis Risk HRA (SPAR-H) method. The SPAR-H method has been used primarily for determining humancentered risk at nuclear power plants. The SPAR-H method, however, shares task analysis underpinnings withmore » HCI. Despite this methodological overlap, there is currently no HRA approach deployed in heuristic usability evaluation. This paper presents an extension of the existing SPAR-H method to be used as part of heuristic usability evaluation in HCI.« less

Cost effectiveness of physiotherapy, manual therapy, and general practitioner care for neck pain: economic evaluation alongside a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Bos, Ingeborg B C Korthals-de; Hoving, Jan L; van Tulder, Maurits W; Mölken, Maureen P M H Rutten-van; Adèr, Herman J; de Vet, Henrica C W; Koes, Bart W; Vondeling, Hindrik; Bouter, Lex M

2003-01-01

Objective To evaluate the cost effectiveness of physiotherapy, manual therapy, and care by a general practitioner for patients with neck pain. Design Economic evaluation alongside a randomised controlled trial. Setting Primary care. Participants 183 patients with neck pain for at least two weeks recruited by 42 general practitioners and randomly allocated to manual therapy (n=60, spinal mobilisation), physiotherapy (n=59, mainly exercise), or general practitioner care (n=64, counselling, education, and drugs). Main outcome measures Clinical outcomes were perceived recovery, intensity of pain, functional disability, and quality of life. Direct and indirect costs were measured by means of cost diaries that were kept by patients for one year. Differences in mean costs between groups, cost effectiveness, and cost utility ratios were evaluated by applying non-parametric bootstrapping techniques. Results The manual therapy group showed a faster improvement than the physiotherapy group and the general practitioner care group up to 26 weeks, but differences were negligible by follow up at 52 weeks. The total costs of manual therapy (€447; £273; $402) were around one third of the costs of physiotherapy (€1297) and general practitioner care (€1379). These differences were significant: P<0.01 for manual therapy versus physiotherapy and manual therapy versus general practitioner care and P=0.55 for general practitioner care versus physiotherapy. The cost effectiveness ratios and the cost utility ratios showed that manual therapy was less costly and more effective than physiotherapy or general practitioner care. Conclusions Manual therapy (spinal mobilisation) is more effective and less costly for treating neck pain than physiotherapy or care by a general practitioner. What is already known on this topicThe cost of treating neck pain is considerableMany conservative interventions are available, such as prescription drugs, yet their cost effectiveness has not been evaluatedNo randomised trials of conservative treatment for neck pain have so far included an economic evaluationWhat this study addsManual therapy is more effective and less costly than physiotherapy or care by a general practitioner for treating neck painPatients undergoing manual therapy recovered more quickly than those undergoing the other interventions PMID:12714472

The role of economic evaluation in the pricing and reimbursement of medicines.

PubMed

Drummond, M; Jönsson, B; Rutten, F

1997-06-01

In most countries, governments or health insurers have taken initiatives to influence the price and utilization of medicines. One stated objective of these schemes is to encourage efficiency, or cost-effectiveness. In principle, economic evaluation should to be relevant to decisions about the pricing and reimbursement of health technologies, since it offers a way of estimating the additional value to society of a new intervention (e.g. medicine) relative to current therapy. However, the application of economic evaluation in drug pricing and reimbursement schemes is variable. Therefore, this paper reviews the actual and potential role of economic evaluation in different drug pricing and reimbursement schemes, such as 'free pricing' systems (United Kingdom, United States), two-stage administered systems (France), reference pricing systems (Germany, Netherlands, Sweden) and economic evaluation systems (Australia, Canada). It is concluded that, other than in the case of Australia and Canada, the potential role of economic evaluation could be greatly developed, especially in the case of new medicines, for which there is no close substitute. Comments are also given on the practical problems of using this approach. However, it is noted that economic evaluation alone cannot set a price for a medicine, since a decision has to be made about the proportion of added value going to society and the proportion going to the pharmaceutical company as a reward for innovation.

Measuring value for money: a scoping review on economic evaluation of health information systems.

PubMed

Bassi, Jesdeep; Lau, Francis

2013-01-01

To explore how key components of economic evaluations have been included in evaluations of health information systems (HIS), to determine the state of knowledge on value for money for HIS, and provide guidance for future evaluations. We searched databases, previously collected papers, and references for relevant papers published from January 2000 to June 2012. For selection, papers had to: be a primary study; involve a computerized system for health information processing, decision support, or management reporting; and include an economic evaluation. Data on study design and economic evaluation methods were extracted and analyzed. Forty-two papers were selected and 33 were deemed high quality (scores ≥ 8/10) for further analysis. These included 12 economic analyses, five input cost analyses, and 16 cost-related outcome analyses. For HIS types, there were seven primary care electronic medical records, six computerized provider order entry systems, five medication management systems, five immunization information systems, four institutional information systems, three disease management systems, two clinical documentation systems, and one health information exchange network. In terms of value for money, 23 papers reported positive findings, eight were inconclusive, and two were negative. We found a wide range of economic evaluation papers that were based on different assumptions, methods, and metrics. There is some evidence of value for money in selected healthcare organizations and HIS types. However, caution is needed when generalizing these findings. Better reporting of economic evaluation studies is needed to compare findings and build on the existing evidence base we identified.

Economic evaluation of occupational health and safety programmes in health care.

PubMed

Guzman, J; Tompa, E; Koehoorn, M; de Boer, H; Macdonald, S; Alamgir, H

2015-10-01

Evidence-based resource allocation in the public health care sector requires reliable economic evaluations that are different from those needed in the commercial sector. To describe a framework for conducting economic evaluations of occupational health and safety (OHS) programmes in health care developed with sector stakeholders. To define key resources and outcomes to be considered in economic evaluations of OHS programmes and to integrate these into a comprehensive framework. Participatory action research supported by mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, including a multi-stakeholder working group, 25 key informant interviews, a 41-member Delphi panel and structured nominal group discussions. We found three resources had top priority: OHS staff time, training the workers and programme planning, promotion and evaluation. Similarly, five outcomes had top priority: number of injuries, safety climate, job satisfaction, quality of care and work days lost. The resulting framework was built around seven principles of good practice that stakeholders can use to assist them in conducting economic evaluations of OHS programmes. Use of a framework resulting from this participatory action research approach may increase the quality of economic evaluations of OHS programmes and facilitate programme comparisons for evidence-based resource allocation decisions. The principles may be applicable to other service sectors funded from general taxes and more broadly to economic evaluations of OHS programmes in general. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Analyzing Tax Policy: A Resource Guide. Economics-Political Science Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swartz, Thomas R.

Part of a series which offers educational resources and teaching techniques related to major social issues to high school social studies classroom teachers, the guide focuses on political and economic aspects of tax policy in the United States. The document is presented in three major chapters. Chapter I explores how economic and political science…

Military Spending and Economic Well-Being in the American States: The Post-Vietnam War Era

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borch, Casey; Wallace, Michael

2010-01-01

Using growth curve modeling techniques, this research investigates whether military spending improved or worsened the economic well-being of citizens within the American states during the post-Vietnam War period. We empirically test the military Keynesianism claim that military spending improves the economic conditions of citizens through its use…

The plan for the economic evaluation of the Public Service Communication Satellite system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

A total plan for the economic evaluation of the PSCS public service communication satellite program within domestic markets is presented. It extends from the present through the planning, performance and evaluation of economic experiments following the launch of the PSCS, and includes the consideration of how the results of these experiments impact the transfer from demonstration to operations. The implementation of this plan will provide NASA with information needed to understand and manage the economic and social impacts of the PSCS program.

The plan for the economic evaluation of the public service communication satellite system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

A plan for the economic evaluation of the Public Service Communications Satellite (PSCS) within domestic markets is presented. It extends through the planning, performance and evaluation of economic experiments following the launch of the PSCS in 1982, and includes the consideration of how the results of these experiments impact the transfer from demonstration to operations. The implementation of this plan will provide information needed to understand and manage the economic and social impacts of the PSCS program.

The economics of health information technology in medication management: a systematic review of economic evaluations

PubMed Central

Tarride, Jean-Eric; Goeree, Ron; Lokker, Cynthia; McKibbon, K Ann

2011-01-01

Objective To conduct a systematic review and synthesis of the evidence surrounding the cost-effectiveness of health information technology (HIT) in the medication process. Materials and methods Peer-reviewed electronic databases and gray literature were searched to identify studies on HIT used to assist in the medication management process. Articles including an economic component were reviewed for further screening. For this review, full cost-effectiveness analyses, cost-utility analyses and cost-benefit analyses, as well as cost analyses, were eligible for inclusion and synthesis. Results The 31 studies included were heterogeneous with respect to the HIT evaluated, setting, and economic methods used. Thus the data could not be synthesized, and a narrative review was conducted. Most studies evaluated computer decision support systems in hospital settings in the USA, and only five of the studied performed full economic evaluations. Discussion Most studies merely provided cost data; however, useful economic data involves far more input. A full economic evaluation includes a full enumeration of the costs, synthesized with the outcomes of the intervention. Conclusion The quality of the economic literature in this area is poor. A few studies found that HIT may offer cost advantages despite their increased acquisition costs. However, given the uncertainty that surrounds the costs and outcomes data, and limited study designs, it is difficult to reach any definitive conclusion as to whether the additional costs and benefits represent value for money. Sophisticated concurrent prospective economic evaluations need to be conducted to address whether HIT interventions in the medication management process are cost-effective. PMID:21984590

Model‐based economic evaluations in smoking cessation and their transferability to new contexts: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Berg, Marrit L.; Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Evers, Silvia; de Kinderen, Reina J. A.; Kulchaitanaroaj, Puttarin

2017-01-01

Abstract Aims To identify different types of models used in economic evaluations of smoking cessation, analyse the quality of the included models examining their attributes and ascertain their transferability to a new context. Methods A systematic review of the literature on the economic evaluation of smoking cessation interventions published between 1996 and April 2015, identified via Medline, EMBASE, National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Health Technology Assessment (HTA). The checklist‐based quality of the included studies and transferability scores was based on the European Network of Health Economic Evaluation Databases (EURONHEED) criteria. Studies that were not in smoking cessation, not original research, not a model‐based economic evaluation, that did not consider adult population and not from a high‐income country were excluded. Findings Among the 64 economic evaluations included in the review, the state‐transition Markov model was the most frequently used method (n = 30/64), with quality adjusted life years (QALY) being the most frequently used outcome measure in a life‐time horizon. A small number of the included studies (13 of 64) were eligible for EURONHEED transferability checklist. The overall transferability scores ranged from 0.50 to 0.97, with an average score of 0.75. The average score per section was 0.69 (range = 0.35–0.92). The relative transferability of the studies could not be established due to a limitation present in the EURONHEED method. Conclusion All existing economic evaluations in smoking cessation lack in one or more key study attributes necessary to be fully transferable to a new context. PMID:28060453

Model-based economic evaluations in smoking cessation and their transferability to new contexts: a systematic review.

PubMed

Berg, Marrit L; Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Evers, Silvia; de Kinderen, Reina J A; Kulchaitanaroaj, Puttarin; Pokhrel, Subhash

2017-06-01

To identify different types of models used in economic evaluations of smoking cessation, analyse the quality of the included models examining their attributes and ascertain their transferability to a new context. A systematic review of the literature on the economic evaluation of smoking cessation interventions published between 1996 and April 2015, identified via Medline, EMBASE, National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Health Technology Assessment (HTA). The checklist-based quality of the included studies and transferability scores was based on the European Network of Health Economic Evaluation Databases (EURONHEED) criteria. Studies that were not in smoking cessation, not original research, not a model-based economic evaluation, that did not consider adult population and not from a high-income country were excluded. Among the 64 economic evaluations included in the review, the state-transition Markov model was the most frequently used method (n = 30/64), with quality adjusted life years (QALY) being the most frequently used outcome measure in a life-time horizon. A small number of the included studies (13 of 64) were eligible for EURONHEED transferability checklist. The overall transferability scores ranged from 0.50 to 0.97, with an average score of 0.75. The average score per section was 0.69 (range = 0.35-0.92). The relative transferability of the studies could not be established due to a limitation present in the EURONHEED method. All existing economic evaluations in smoking cessation lack in one or more key study attributes necessary to be fully transferable to a new context. © 2017 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

Trends in parameterization, economics and host behaviour in influenza pandemic modelling: a review and reporting protocol

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The volume of influenza pandemic modelling studies has increased dramatically in the last decade. Many models incorporate now sophisticated parameterization and validation techniques, economic analyses and the behaviour of individuals. Methods We reviewed trends in these aspects in models for influenza pandemic preparedness that aimed to generate policy insights for epidemic management and were published from 2000 to September 2011, i.e. before and after the 2009 pandemic. Results We find that many influenza pandemics models rely on parameters from previous modelling studies, models are rarely validated using observed data and are seldom applied to low-income countries. Mechanisms for international data sharing would be necessary to facilitate a wider adoption of model validation. The variety of modelling decisions makes it difficult to compare and evaluate models systematically. Conclusions We propose a model Characteristics, Construction, Parameterization and Validation aspects protocol (CCPV protocol) to contribute to the systematisation of the reporting of models with an emphasis on the incorporation of economic aspects and host behaviour. Model reporting, as already exists in many other fields of modelling, would increase confidence in model results, and transparency in their assessment and comparison. PMID:23651557

Black bear depredation on agricultural commodities in Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jonker, S.A.; Parkhurst, J.A.; Field, R.; Fuller, T.K.

1998-01-01

We used response to a mail survey (n = 848) to evaluate the extent and severity of depredation by black bears (Ursus americanus) on agricultural commodities in Massachusetts and to assess producers' attitudes toward and tolerance of bear depredation. Damage abatement techniques were ranked for effectiveness by producers of corn, bees and honey, and livestock and dairy products. Results showed differences in perception of effects of bear depredation among commodity groups. Producers of corn and livestock and dairy products considered bear damage to be low to moderate in severity whereas beekeepers thought their losses were substantial or severe. Most estimates of economic loss were <$1,000 per year. Respondents considered bears to be an inconvenience, but thought they should remain a part of our natural heritage. There was no significant relationship between producers' experience with or economic dependence on their product and their attitude toward bears or their tolerance of bear damage. We conclude that there is need for effective education programs for agricultural producers, strengthened working relationships between producers and state fish and wildlife agencies, incorporation of producers' suggestions into management decisions, and investment in effective, economical, and long-term solutions to bear depredations for each affected commodity group.

Economic and Political Influence on Tobacco Tax Rates: A Nationwide Analysis of 31 Years of State Data

PubMed Central

Ribisl, Kurt M.; Perreira, Krista M.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated state-level characteristics associated with cigarette excise taxes before and after the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). Methods. We gathered annual cigarette excise tax rates for all US states and the District of Columbia, between 1981 and 2011, and matched each state–year tax rate with economic, political, attitudinal, and demographic characteristics, creating a data set of 1581 observations. We used panel data regression techniques to assess relationships between key characteristics and state cigarette excise tax levels. Results. Cigarette excise tax rates grew at more than 6 times the rate of inflation between 1981 and 2011; growth varied by time period and region. We found strong negative associations between Republican Party control of state legislatures and governors’ offices and state cigarette tax rates. Tobacco production, citizens’ attitudes toward taxes and tobacco control, and cigarette tax rates in neighboring states were significantly associated with cigarette tax rates. We found no association between unemployment and tax rates. Conclusions. Future excise tax growth rate may depend more on the political leanings of state legislators, and the attitudes of the people they represent, than on economic circumstances. PMID:24328667

[Construction and evaluation of ecological network in Poyang Lake Eco-economic Zone, China.

PubMed

Chen, Xiao Ping; Chen, Wen Bo

2016-05-01

Large-scale ecological patches play an important role in regional biodiversity conservation. However, with the rapid progress of China's urbanization, human disturbance on the environment is becoming stronger. Large-scale ecological patches will degrade not only in quantity, but also in quality, threatening the connections among them due to isolation and seriously affecting the biodiversity protection. Taking Poyang Lake Eco-economic Zone as a case, this paper established the potential ecological corridors by minimum cost model and GIS technique taking the impacts of landscape types, slope and human disturbance into consideration. Then, based on gravity quantitative model, we analyzed the intensity of ecological interactions between patches, and the potential ecological corridors were divided into two classes for sake of protection. Finally, the important ecological nodes and breaking points were identified, and the structure of the potential ecological network was analyzed. The results showed that forest and cropland were the main landscape types of ecological corridor composition, interaction between ecological patches differed obviously and the structure of the composed regional ecological network was complex with high connectivity and closure. It might provide a scientific basis for the protection of biodiversity and ecological network optimization in Poyang Lake Eco-economic Zone.

Study of water recovery and solid waste processing for aerospace and domestic applications. Volume 2: Final report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guarneri, C. A.; Reed, A.; Renman, R. E.

1972-01-01

The manner in which current and advanced technology can be applied to develop practical solutions to existing and emerging water supply and waste disposal problems is evaluated. An overview of water resource factors as they affect new community planning, and requirements imposed on residential waste treatment systems are presented. The results of equipment surveys contain information describing: commercially available devices and appliances designed to conserve water; devices and techniques for monitoring water quality and controlling back contamination; and advanced water and waste processing equipment. System concepts are developed and compared on the basis of current and projected costs. Economic evaluations are based on community populations of from 2,000 to 250,000. The most promising system concept is defined in sufficient depth to initiate detailed design.

Economic Analyses in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Qualitative and Systematic Review.

PubMed

Saltzman, Bryan M; Cvetanovich, Gregory L; Nwachukwu, Benedict U; Mall, Nathan A; Bush-Joseph, Charles A; Bach, Bernard R

2016-05-01

As the health care system in the United States (US) transitions toward value-based care, there is an increased emphasis on understanding the cost drivers and high-value procedures within orthopaedics. To date, there has been no systematic review of the economic literature on anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). To evaluate the overall evidence base for economic studies published on ACLR in the orthopaedic literature. Data available on the economics of ACLR are summarized and cost drivers associated with the procedure are identified. Systematic review. All economic studies (including US-based and non-US-based) published between inception of the MEDLINE database and October 3, 2014, were identified. Given the heterogeneity of the existing evidence base, a qualitative, descriptive approach was used to assess the collective results from the economic studies on ACLR. When applicable, comparisons were made for the following cost-related variables associated with the procedure for economic implications: outpatient versus inpatient surgery (or outpatient vs overnight hospital stay vs >1-night stay); bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) graft versus hamstring (HS) graft source; autograft versus allograft source; staged unilateral ACLR versus bilateral ACLR in a single setting; single- versus double-bundle technique; ACLR versus nonoperative treatment; and other unique comparisons reported in single studies, including computer-assisted navigation surgery (CANS) versus traditional surgery, early versus delayed ACLR, single- versus double-incision technique, and finally the costs of ACLR without comparison of variables. A total of 24 studies were identified and included; of these, 17 included studies were cost identification studies. The remaining 7 studies were cost utility analyses that used economic models to investigate the effect of variables such as the cost of allograft tissue, fixation devices, and physical therapy, the percentage and timing of revision surgery, and the cost of revision surgery. Of the 24 studies, there were 3 studies with level 1 evidence, 8 with level 2 evidence, 6 with level 3 evidence, and 7 with level 4 evidence. The following economic comparisons were demonstrated: (1) ACLR is more cost-effective than nonoperative treatment with rehabilitation only (per 3 cost utility analyses); (2) autograft use had lower total costs than allograft use, with operating room supply costs and allograft costs most significant (per 5 cost identification studies and 1 cost utility analysis); (3) results on hamstring versus BPTB graft source are conflicting (per 2 cost identification studies); (4) there is significant cost reduction with an outpatient versus inpatient setting (per 5 studies using cost identification analyses); (5) bilateral ACLR is more cost efficient than 2 unilateral ACLRs in separate settings (per 2 cost identification studies); (6) there are lower costs with similarly successful outcomes between single- and double-bundle technique (per 3 cost identification studies and 2 cost utility analyses). Results from this review suggest that early single-bundle, single (endoscopic)-incision outpatient ACLR using either BPTB or HS autograft provides the most value. In the setting of bilateral ACL rupture, single-setting bilateral ACLR is more cost-effective than staged unilateral ACLR. Procedures using CANS technology do not yet yield results that are superior to the results of a standard surgical procedure, and CANS has substantially greater costs. © 2015 The Author(s).

Traumatic brain injury: methodological approaches to estimate health and economic outcomes.

PubMed

Lu, Juan; Roe, Cecilie; Aas, Eline; Lapane, Kate L; Niemeier, Janet; Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos; Andelic, Nada

2013-12-01

The effort to standardize the methodology and adherence to recommended principles for all economic evaluations has been emphasized in medical literature. The objective of this review is to examine whether economic evaluations in traumatic brain injury (TBI) research have been compliant with existing guidelines. Medline search was performed between January 1, 1995 and August 11, 2012. All original TBI-related full economic evaluations were included in the study. Two authors independently rated each study's methodology and data presentation to determine compliance to the 10 methodological principles recommended by Blackmore et al. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize the data. Inter-rater reliability was assessed with Kappa statistics. A total of 28 studies met the inclusion criteria. Eighteen of these studies described cost-effectiveness, seven cost-benefit, and three cost-utility analyses. The results showed a rapid growth in the number of published articles on the economic impact of TBI since 2000 and an improvement in their methodological quality. However, overall compliance with recommended methodological principles of TBI-related economic evaluation has been deficient. On average, about six of the 10 criteria were followed in these publications, and only two articles met all 10 criteria. These findings call for an increased awareness of the methodological standards that should be followed by investigators both in performance of economic evaluation and in reviews of evaluation reports prior to publication. The results also suggest that all economic evaluations should be made by following the guidelines within a conceptual framework, in order to facilitate evidence-based practices in the field of TBI.

A Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of Treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder

PubMed Central

Brettschneider, Christian; Riedel-Heller, Steffi; König, Hans-Helmut

2014-01-01

Purpose The borderline personality disorder is a common mental disorder. It is frequently associated with various mental co-morbidities and a fundamental loss of functioning. The borderline personality disorder causes high costs to society. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic literature review of existing economic evaluations of treatments for borderline personality disorder. Materials and Methods We performed a systematic literature search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and NHSEED for partial and full economic evaluations regarding borderline personality disorder. Reported cost data were inflated to the year 2012 and converted into US-$ using purchasing power parities to allow for comparability. Quality assessment of the studies was performed by means of the Consensus on Health Economic Criteria checklist, a checklist developed by a Delphi method in cooperation with 23 international experts. Results We identified 6 partial and 9 full economic evaluations. The methodical quality was moderate (fulfilled quality criteria: 79.2% [SD: 15.4%] in partial economic evaluations, 77.3% [SD: 8.5%] in full economic evaluations). Most evaluations analysed psychotherapeutic interventions. Although ambiguous, most evidence exists on dialectical-behavioural therapy. Cognitive behavioural therapy and schema-focused therapy are cost-saving. Evidence on other interventions is scarce. Conclusion The economic evidence is not sufficient to draw robust conclusions for all treatments. It is possible that some treatments are cost-effective. Most evidence exists on dialectical-behavioural therapy. Yet, it is ambiguous. Further research concerning the cost-effectiveness of treatments is necessary as well as the identification of relevant cost categories and the validation of effect measures. PMID:25265185

[Decision modeling for economic evaluation of health technologies].

PubMed

de Soárez, Patrícia Coelho; Soares, Marta Oliveira; Novaes, Hillegonda Maria Dutilh

2014-10-01

Most economic evaluations that participate in decision-making processes for incorporation and financing of technologies of health systems use decision models to assess the costs and benefits of the compared strategies. Despite the large number of economic evaluations conducted in Brazil, there is a pressing need to conduct an in-depth methodological study of the types of decision models and their applicability in our setting. The objective of this literature review is to contribute to the knowledge and use of decision models in the national context of economic evaluations of health technologies. This article presents general definitions about models and concerns with their use; it describes the main models: decision trees, Markov chains, micro-simulation, simulation of discrete and dynamic events; it discusses the elements involved in the choice of model; and exemplifies the models addressed in national economic evaluation studies of diagnostic and therapeutic preventive technologies and health programs.

Economic Evaluation and Transferability of Physical Activity Programmes in Primary Prevention: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Wolfenstetter, Silke B.; Wenig, Christina M.

2010-01-01

This systematic review aims to assess the characteristics of, and the clinical and economic evidence provided by, economic evaluations of primary preventive physical exercise interventions, and to analyse their transferability to Germany using recommended checklists. Fifteen economic evaluations from seven different countries met eligibility criteria, with seven of the fifteen providing high economic evidence in the special country context. Most of the identified studies conclude that the investigated intervention provide good value for money compared with alternatives. However, this review shows a high variability of the costing methods between the studies, which limits comparability, generalisability and transferability of the results. PMID:20617050

Workshop: Economic Research and Policy Concerning Water Use and Watershed Management (1999)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Workshop proceedings: Integrating Economic and Physical Models in Water and Watershed Research, Methods for Measuring Stakeholder Values of Water Quality and Watershed Protection, and Applications of Stakeholder Valuation Techniques for Watersheds and WQ

Evaluation as institution: a contractarian argument for needs-based economic evaluation.

PubMed

Rogowski, Wolf H

2018-06-13

There is a gap between health economic evaluation methods and the value judgments of coverage decision makers, at least in Germany. Measuring preference satisfaction has been claimed to be inappropriate for allocating health care resources, e.g. because it disregards medical need. The existing methods oriented at medical need have been claimed to disregard non-consequentialist fairness concerns. The aim of this article is to propose a new, contractarian argument for justifying needs-based economic evaluation. It is based on consent rather than maximization of some impersonal unit of value to accommodate the fairness concerns. This conceptual paper draws upon contractarian ethics and constitution economics to show how economic evaluation can be viewed as an institution to overcome societal conflicts in the allocation of scarce health care resources. For this, the problem of allocating scarce health care resources in a society is reconstructed as a social dilemma. Both disadvantaged patients and affluent healthy individuals can be argued to share interests in a societal contract to provide technologies which ameliorate medical need, based on progressive funding. The use of needs-based economic evaluation methods for coverage determination can be interpreted as institutions for conflict resolution as far as they use consented criteria to ensure the social contract's sustainability and avoid implicit rationing or unaffordable contribution rates. This justifies the use of needs-based evaluation methods by Pareto-superiority and consent (rather than by some needs-based value function per se). The view of economic evaluation presented here may help account for fairness concerns in the further development of evaluation methods. This is because it directs the attention away from determining some unit of value to be maximized towards determining those persons who are most likely not to consent and meeting their concerns. Following this direction in methods development is likely to increase the acceptability of health economic evaluation by decision makers.

Japanese migration in contemporary Japan: economic segmentation and interprefectural migration.

PubMed

Fukurai, H

1991-01-01

This paper examines the economic segmentation model in explaining 1985-86 Japanese interregional migration. The analysis takes advantage of statistical graphic techniques to illustrate the following substantive issues of interregional migration: (1) to examine whether economic segmentation significantly influences Japanese regional migration and (2) to explain socioeconomic characteristics of prefectures for both in- and out-migration. Analytic techniques include a latent structural equation (LISREL) methodology and statistical residual mapping. The residual dispersion patterns, for instance, suggest the extent to which socioeconomic and geopolitical variables explain migration differences by showing unique clusters of unexplained residuals. The analysis further points out that extraneous factors such as high residential land values, significant commuting populations, and regional-specific cultures and traditions need to be incorporated in the economic segmentation model in order to assess the extent of the model's reliability in explaining the pattern of interprefectural migration.

Application of Multi-level Grey Evaluation on Geological Tourism Resources’ Economic Values of Geopark: A Case Study of Huashan Geopark in Shaanxi Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yang; Gong, Xianjie

2018-01-01

Geo-park gives priority to geographical relic landscapes. It has not only rich geological touristic resources but also extraordinarily high values for economic development. Taking Huashan Geological Park as an example, the thesis systematically analyzes the characteristics of the geological touristic resources in this park. It applies the method of multilevel grey evaluation to establish the evaluation model for the economic values of the touristic resources in the geological park and presents detailed result of the assessment. The result concludes an excellent grade for the comprehensive evaluation of the economic values of Huashan geological touristic resources, reflecting the outstanding natural advantages of the park in geological resources. Moreover, in the single-item evaluations, the scientific evaluation ranks the highest in score, indicating that the geological touristic resources of the park have extraordinary geologically science-popularizing values as a significant condition for the development of scientific tours. It shows that the park is endowed with excellent prospects for economic development.

Economic Evaluation of Pharmaco- and Behavioral Therapies for Smoking Cessation: A Critical and Systematic Review of Empirical Research

PubMed Central

Ruger, Jennifer Prah; Lazar, Christina M.

2014-01-01

Economic evaluations are an important tool to improve our understanding of the costs and effects of health care services and to create sustainable health care systems. This article critically assesses empirical evidence from economic evaluations of pharmaco- and behavioral therapies for smoking cessation. A comprehensive literature review of PubMed and the British National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database was conducted. The search identified 15 articles on nicotine-based pharmacotherapies, 12 articles on nonnicotine based pharmacotherapies, no articles on selegiline, and 10 articles on brief counseling for smoking cessation treatment. Results show that both pharmaco- and behavioral therapies for smoking cessation are cost-effective or even cost-saving. The review highlights several shortcomings in methodology and a lack of standardization of current economic evaluations. Efforts to improve methodology will help make future studies more comparable and increase the evidence base so that such evaluations can be more useful to public health practitioners and policy makers. PMID:22224889

Integrated agro-hydrological modelling and economic analysis of BMPs to support decision making and policy design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maroy, E.; Rousseau, A. N.; Hallema, D. W.

2012-12-01

With recent efforts and increasing control over point source pollution of freshwater, agricultural non-point pollution sources have become responsible for most of sediment and nutrient loads in North American water systems. Environmental and agricultural agencies have recognised the need for reducing eutrophication and have developed various policies to compel or encourage producers to best management practices (BMPs). Addressing diffuse pollution is challenging considering the complex and cumulative nature of transport processes, high variability in space and time, and prohibitive costs of distributed water quality monitoring. Many policy options exist to push producers to adopt environmentally desirable behaviour while keeping their activity viable, and ensure equitable costs to consumers and tax payers. On the one hand, economic instruments (subsidies, taxes, water quality markets) are designed to maximize cost-effectiveness, so that farmers optimize their production for maximum profit while implementing BMPs. On the other hand, emission standards or regulation of inputs are often easier and less costly to implement. To study economic and environmental impacts of such policies, a distributed modelling approach is needed to deal with the complexity of the system and the large environmental and socio-economic data requirements. Our objective is to integrate agro-hydrological modelling and economic analysis to support decision and policy making processes of BMP implementation. The integrated modelling system GIBSI was developed in an earlier study within the Canadian WEBs project (Watershed Evaluation of BMPs) to evaluate the influence of BMPs on water quality. The case study involved 30 and 15 year records of discharge and water quality measurements respectively, in the Beaurivage River watershed (Quebec, Canada). GIBSI provided a risk-based overview of the impact of BMPs (including vegetated riparian buffer strips, precision slurry application, conversion to grassland and no-till) in terms of sediment, nutrient and pesticide yields and loads. Input data included characteristics of reservoirs, land cover, soil, agricultural management, livestock management and point sources of pollution. The present study continues from there by first assessing the cost-effectiveness of different sets of BMPs, based on farm budgets and environmental criteria selected by the user. We subsequently examine monetary trade-offs between on-farm costs and social value of water quality improvements using cost-benefit ratios. Because water quality is a non-excludable and non-rivalrous good, its benefits to society are evaluated with non-market evaluation techniques mostly based on quality-constrained recreational use of water. From a policy perspective, cost-effectiveness analysis is very helpful in assisting the decision maker in the highly complex process of defining priorities with respect to BMP strategies. With a user-friendly interface for economic analysis integrated into GIBSI, watershed organizations and stakeholders can use such a tool to promote sustainable agricultural practices and water use. This submission is part of Watershed Evaluation of BMPs project (WEBs) funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada

Trial-Based Economic Evaluations in Occupational Health

PubMed Central

van Wier, Marieke F.; Tompa, Emile; Bongers, Paulien M.; van der Beek, Allard J.; van Tulder, Maurits W.; Bosmans, Judith E.

2014-01-01

To allocate available resources as efficiently as possible, decision makers need information on the relative economic merits of occupational health and safety (OHS) interventions. Economic evaluations can provide this information by comparing the costs and consequences of alternatives. Nevertheless, only a few of the studies that consider the effectiveness of OHS interventions take the extra step of considering their resource implications. Moreover, the methodological quality of those that do is generally poor. Therefore, this study aims to help occupational health researchers conduct high-quality trial-based economic evaluations by discussing the theory and methodology that underlie them, and by providing recommendations for good practice regarding their design, analysis, and reporting. This study also helps consumers of this literature with understanding and critically appraising trial-based economic evaluations of OHS interventions. PMID:24854249

Trial-based economic evaluations in occupational health: principles, methods, and recommendations.

PubMed

van Dongen, Johanna M; van Wier, Marieke F; Tompa, Emile; Bongers, Paulien M; van der Beek, Allard J; van Tulder, Maurits W; Bosmans, Judith E

2014-06-01

To allocate available resources as efficiently as possible, decision makers need information on the relative economic merits of occupational health and safety (OHS) interventions. Economic evaluations can provide this information by comparing the costs and consequences of alternatives. Nevertheless, only a few of the studies that consider the effectiveness of OHS interventions take the extra step of considering their resource implications. Moreover, the methodological quality of those that do is generally poor. Therefore, this study aims to help occupational health researchers conduct high-quality trial-based economic evaluations by discussing the theory and methodology that underlie them, and by providing recommendations for good practice regarding their design, analysis, and reporting. This study also helps consumers of this literature with understanding and critically appraising trial-based economic evaluations of OHS interventions.

[Raman spectroscopy applied to analytical quality control of injectable drugs: analytical evaluation and comparative economic versus HPLC and UV / visible-FTIR].

PubMed

Bourget, P; Amin, A; Vidal, F; Merlette, C; Troude, P; Corriol, O

2013-09-01

In France, central IV admixture of chemotherapy (CT) treatments at the hospital is now required by law. We have previously shown that the shaping of Therapeutic Objects (TOs) could profit from an Analytical Quality Assurance (AQA), closely linked to the batch release, for the three key parameters: identity, purity, and initial concentration of the compound of interest. In the course of recent and diversified works, we showed the technical superiority of non-intrusive Raman Spectroscopy (RS) vs. any other analytical option and, especially for both HPLC and vibrational method using a UV/visible-FTIR coupling. An interconnected qualitative and economic assessment strongly helps to enrich these relevant works. The study compares in operational situation, the performance of three analytical methods used for the AQC of TOs. We used: a) a set of evaluation criteria, b) the depreciation tables of the machinery, c) the cost of disposables, d) the weight of equipment and technical installations, e) the basic accounting unit (unit of work) and its composite costs (Euros), which vary according to the technical options, the weight of both human resources and disposables; finally, different combinations are described. So, the unit of work can take 12 different values between 1 and 5.5 Euros, and we provide various recommendations. A qualitative evaluation grid constantly places the SR technology as superior or equal to the 2 other techniques currently available. Our results demonstrated: a) the major interest of the non-intrusive AQC performed by RS, especially when it is not possible to analyze a TO with existing methods e.g. elastomeric portable pumps, and b) the high potential for this technique to be a strong contributor to the security of the medication circuit, and to fight the iatrogenic effects of drugs especially in the hospital. It also contributes to the protection of all actors in healthcare and of their working environment.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website (http://www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp). We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in five years. PMID:23531108

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website (http://www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp). We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in five years. PMID:23531194

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement.

PubMed

Husereau, D; Drummond, M; Petrou, S; Carswell, C; Moher, D; Greenberg, D; Augustovski, F; Briggs, A H; Mauskopf, J; Loder, E

2013-05-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance.The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website (www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp). We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in 5 years. © 2013 The Authors BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology © 2013 RCOG.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement.

PubMed

Husereau, Don; Drummond, Michael; Petrou, Stavros; Carswell, Chris; Moher, David; Greenberg, Dan; Augustovski, Federico; Briggs, Andrew H; Mauskopf, Josephine; Loder, Elizabeth

2013-03-25

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication.The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website (http://www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp).We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in five years.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement.

PubMed

Husereau, Don; Drummond, Michael; Petrou, Stavros; Carswell, Chris; Moher, David; Greenberg, Dan; Augustovski, Federico; Briggs, Andrew H; Mauskopf, Josephine; Loder, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website: (www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp). We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in five years. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement.

PubMed

Husereau, Don; Drummond, Michael; Petrou, Stavros; Carswell, Chris; Moher, David; Greenberg, Dan; Augustovski, Federico; Briggs, Andrew H; Mauskopf, Josephine; Loder, Elizabeth

2013-04-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website: (www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp). We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in five years. Copyright © 2013. Published by EM Inc USA.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement.

PubMed

Husereau, Don; Drummond, Michael; Petrou, Stavros; Carswell, Chris; Moher, David; Greenberg, Dan; Augustovski, Federico; Briggs, Andrew H; Mauskopf, Josephine; Loder, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user-friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user-friendly, 24-item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website (www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp). The hope is that CHEERS will lead to better reporting and, ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. Other journals and groups are encouraged to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in 5 years.

A Systematic Review of the State of Economic Evaluation for Health Care in India.

PubMed

Prinja, Shankar; Chauhan, Akashdeep Singh; Angell, Blake; Gupta, Indrani; Jan, Stephen

2015-12-01

Economic evaluations are one of the important tools in policy making for rational allocation of resources. Given the very low public investment in the health sector in India, it is critical that resources are used wisely on interventions proven to yield best results. Hence, we undertook this study to assess the extent and quality of evidence for economic evaluation of health-care interventions and programmes in India. A comprehensive search was conducted to search for published full economic evaluations pertaining to India and addressing a health-related intervention or programme. PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ScienceDirect, and York CRD database and websites of important research agencies were identified to search for economic evaluations published from January 1980 to the middle of November 2014. Two researchers independently assessed the quality of the studies based on Drummond and modelling checklist. Out of a total of 5013 articles enlisted after literature search, a total of 104 met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The majority of these papers were cost-effectiveness studies (64%), led by a clinician or public-health professional (77%), using decision analysis-based methods (59%), published in an international journal (80%) and addressing communicable diseases (58%). In addition, 42% were funded by an international funding agency or UN/bilateral aid agency, and 30% focussed on pharmaceuticals. The average quality score of these full economic evaluations was 65.1%. The major limitation was the inability to address uncertainties involved in modelling as only about one-third of the studies assessed modelling structural uncertainties (33%), or ran sub-group analyses to account for heterogeneity (36.5%) or analysed methodological uncertainty (32%). The existing literature on economic evaluations in India is inadequate to feed into sound policy making. There is an urgent need to generate awareness within the government of how economic evaluation can inform and benefit policy making, and at the same time build capacity of health-care professionals in understanding the economic principles of health-care delivery system.

The economic value of specialized lower-extremity medical care by podiatric physicians in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

PubMed

Carls, Ginger S; Gibson, Teresa B; Driver, Vickie R; Wrobel, James S; Garoufalis, Matthew G; Defrancis, Roy R; Wang, Shaohung; Bagalman, J Erin; Christina, James R

2011-01-01

We sought to examine the economic value of specialized lower-extremity medical care by podiatric physicians in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers by evaluating cost outcomes for patients with diabetic foot ulcer who did and did not receive care from a podiatric physician in the year before the onset of a foot ulcer. We analyzed the economic value among commercially insured patients and Medicare-eligible patients with employer-sponsored supplemental medical benefits using the MarketScan Databases. The analysis consisted of two parts. In part I, we examined cost or savings per patient associated with care by podiatric physicians using propensity score matching and regression techniques; in part II, we extrapolated cost or savings to populations. Matched and regression-adjusted results indicated that patients who visited a podiatric physician had $13,474 lower costs in commercial plans and $3,624 lower costs in Medicare plans during 2-year follow-up (P < .01 for both). A positive net present value of increasing the share of patients at risk for diabetic foot ulcer by 1% was found, with a range of $1.2 to $17.7 million for employer-sponsored plans and $1.0 to $12.7 million for Medicare plans. These findings suggest that podiatric medical care can reduce the disease and economic burdens of diabetes.

Evaluating the economic benefits of nonmotorized transportation : case studies and methods for the nonmotorized transportation pilot program communities.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-03-01

This report examines potential methods for evaluating the economic benefits from nonmotorized transportation investments. The variety of potential economic benefits of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and programming investments discussed includ...

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS)--explanation and elaboration: a report of the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluation Publication Guidelines Good Reporting Practices Task Force.

PubMed

Husereau, Don; Drummond, Michael; Petrou, Stavros; Carswell, Chris; Moher, David; Greenberg, Dan; Augustovski, Federico; Briggs, Andrew H; Mauskopf, Josephine; Loder, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting because substantial information must be conveyed to allow scrutiny of study findings. Despite a growth in published reports, existing reporting guidelines are not widely adopted. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user-friendly manner. A checklist is one way to help authors, editors, and peer reviewers use guidelines to improve reporting. The task force's overall goal was to provide recommendations to optimize the reporting of health economic evaluations. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines into one current, useful reporting guidance. The CHEERS Elaboration and Explanation Report of the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluation Publication Guidelines Good Reporting Practices Task Force facilitates the use of the CHEERS statement by providing examples and explanations for each recommendation. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. Previously published checklists or guidance documents related to reporting economic evaluations were identified from a systematic review and subsequent survey of task force members. A list of possible items from these efforts was created. A two-round, modified Delphi Panel with representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, and government, as well as the editorial community, was used to identify a minimum set of items important for reporting from the larger list. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed, with some specific recommendations for single study-based and model-based economic evaluations. The final recommendations are subdivided into six main categories: 1) title and abstract, 2) introduction, 3) methods, 4) results, 5) discussion, and 6) other. The recommendations are contained in the CHEERS statement, a user-friendly 24-item checklist. The task force report provides explanation and elaboration, as well as an example for each recommendation. The ISPOR CHEERS statement is available online via Value in Health or the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluation Publication Guidelines Good Reporting Practices - CHEERS Task Force webpage (http://www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp). We hope that the ISPOR CHEERS statement and the accompanying task force report guidance will lead to more consistent and transparent reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate wider dissemination and uptake of this guidance, we are copublishing the CHEERS statement across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups to consider endorsing the CHEERS statement. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in 5 years. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computer Assisted Design, Prediction, and Execution of Economical Organic Syntheses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gothard, Nosheen Akber

The synthesis of useful organic molecules via simple and cost-effective routes is a core challenge in organic chemistry. In industry or academia, organic chemists use their chemical intuition, technical expertise and published procedures to determine an optimal pathway. This approach, not only takes time and effort, but also is cost prohibitive. Many potential optimal routes scratched on paper fail to get experimentally tested. In addition, with new methods being discovered daily are often overlooked by established techniques. This thesis reports a computational technique that assist the discovery of economical synthetic routes to useful organic targets. Organic chemistry exists as a network where chemicals are connected by reactions, analogous to citied connected by roads in a geographic map. This network topology of organic reactions in the network of organic chemistry (NOC) allows the application of graph-theory to devise algorithms for synthetic optimization of organic targets. A computational approach comprised of customizable algorithms, pre-screening filters, and existing chemoinformatic techniques is capable of answering complex questions and perform mechanistic tasks desired by chemists such as optimization of organic syntheses. One-pot reactions are central to modern synthesis since they save resources and time by avoiding isolation, purification, characterization, and production of chemical waste after each synthetic step. Sometimes, such reactions are identified by chance or, more often, by careful inspection of individual steps that are to be wired together. Algorithms are used to discover one-pot reactions and validated experimentally. Which demonstrate that the computationally predicted sequences can indeed by carried out experimentally in good overall yields. The experimental examples are chosen to from small networks of reactions around useful chemicals such as quinoline scaffolds, quinoline-based inhibitors of phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta (PI3Kdelta) enzyme, and thiophene derivatives. In this way, we replace individual synthetic connections with two-, three-, or even four-step one-pot sequences. Lastly, the computational method is utilized to devise hypothetical synthetic route to popular pharmaceutical drugs like NaproxenRTM and TaxolRTM. The algorithmically generated optimal pathways are evaluated with chemistry logic. By applying labor/cost factor It was revealed that not all shorter synthesis routes are economical, sometimes "Longest way round is the shortest way home" lengthier routes are found to be more economical and environmentally friendly.

State of health economic evaluation research in Saudi Arabia: a review.

PubMed

Al-Aqeel, Sinaa A

2012-01-01

If evaluation of economic evidence is to be used increasingly in Saudi Arabia, a review of the published literature would be useful to inform policy decision-makers of the current state of research and plan future research agendas. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of the state of health economic evaluation research within the Saudi context with regard to the number, characteristics, and quality of published articles. A literature search was conducted on May 8, 2011 to identify health economic articles pertaining to Saudi Arabia in the PubMed, Embase, and EconLit databases, using the following terms alone or in combination: "cost*", "economics", "health economics", "cost-effectiveness", "cost-benefit", "cost minimization", "cost utility analysis", and "Saudi". Reference lists of the articles identified were also searched for further articles. The tables of contents of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal and the Saudi Medical Journal were reviewed for the previous 5 years. The search identified 535 citations. Based on a reading of abstracts and titles, 477 papers were excluded. Upon reviewing the full text of the remaining 58 papers, 43 were excluded. Fifteen papers were included. Ten were categorized as full economic evaluations and five as partial economic evaluations. These articles were published between 1997 and 2010. The majority of the studies identified did not clearly state the perspective of their evaluation. There are many concerns about the methods used to collect outcome and costs data. Only one study used some sort of sensitivity analysis to assess the effects of uncertainty on the robustness of its conclusions. This review highlights major flaws in the design, analysis, and reporting of the identified economic analyses. Such deficiencies mean that the local economic evidence available to decision-makers is not very useful. Thus, building research capability in health economics is warranted.

Do health economic evaluations using observational data provide reliable assessment of treatment effects?

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Economic evaluation in modern health care systems is seen as a transparent scientific framework that can be used to advance progress towards improvements in population health at the best possible value. Despite the perceived superiority that trial-based studies have in terms of internal validity, economic evaluations often employ observational data. In this review, the interface between econometrics and economic evaluation is explored, with emphasis placed on highlighting methodological issues relating to the evaluation of cost-effectiveness within a bivariate framework. Studies that satisfied the eligibility criteria exemplified the use of matching, regression analysis, propensity scores, instrumental variables, as well as difference-in-differences approaches. All studies were reviewed and critically appraised using a structured template. The findings suggest that although state-of-the-art econometric methods have the potential to provide evidence on the causal effects of clinical and policy interventions, their application in economic evaluation is subject to a number of limitations. These range from no credible assessment of key assumptions and scarce evidence regarding the relative performance of different methods, to lack of reporting of important study elements, such as a summary outcome measure and its associated sampling uncertainty. Further research is required to better understand the ways in which observational data should be analysed in the context of the economic evaluation framework. PMID:24229445

Measuring the socio-economic impacts of agroforestry projects in the Philippines

Treesearch

Evan Mercer; Belita Vega; Hermie Francisco; Robin Maille

1994-01-01

Conventional wisdom suggests that agroforestry projects can provide both ecological and economic benefits. Most agroforestry project evaluations, however, have failed to adequately assess the soci0-economic impacts. For example, a review of 108 agroforestry project impact evaluations by Sara Scherr of IFPRJ reported that only 8% assessed economic costs or benefits, 5%...

Economic Evaluation of Single-Family-Residence Solar-Energy Installation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Long-term economic performance of a commercial solar-energy system was analyzed and used to predict economic performance at four additional sites. Analysis described in report was done to demonstrate viability of design over a broad range of environmental/economic conditions. Report contains graphs and tables that present evaluation procedure and results. Also contains appendixes that aid in understanding methods used.

Improving rapeseed production practices in the southeastern United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas, D.L.; Breve, M.A.; Raymer, P.L.

1990-04-01

Oilseed rape or rapeseed is a crop which offers a potential for double-cropping in the southeastern United States. This final project report describes the results from a three year study aimed at evaluating the effect of different planting and harvesting practices on establishment and yield of three rape cultivars, and the double cropping potential of rapeseed in the southeastern United States. The project was conducted on two yield sites in Tifton, Georgia during 1986--87, 1987--88 and 1988--89. The general objective of this research is to improve the seed and biomass yield of winter rapeseed in the southeastern United States bymore » developing appropriate agronomic practices for the region. The primary constraint is to grow rapeseed within the allowable period for double cropping with an economically desirable crop, such as peanut or soybean. Planting and harvesting are the most critical steps in this process. Therefore, the specific objectives of this research were: evaluate and improve the emergence of rapeseed by developing planting techniques that enhance the soil, water and seed regimes for winter rapeseed in the southeast, and evaluate and improve the yields of harvested rapeseed by developing techniques for determining the optimum timing of harvest and efficient methods for harvesting winter rapeseed in the southeast. 6 refs., 12 figs., 9 tabs.« less

Measurement of stream channel habitat using sonar

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flug, Marshall; Seitz, Heather; Scott, John

1998-01-01

An efficient and low cost technique using a sonar system was evaluated for describing channel geometry and quantifying inundated area in a large river. The boat-mounted portable sonar equipment was used to record water depths and river width measurements for direct storage on a laptop computer. The field data collected from repeated traverses at a cross-section were evaluated to determine the precision of the system and field technique. Results from validation at two different sites showed average sample standard deviations (S.D.s) of 0.12 m for these complete cross-sections, with coefficient of variations of 10%. Validation using only the mid-channel river cross-section data yields an average sample S.D. of 0.05 m, with a coefficient of variation below 5%, at a stable and gauged river site using only measurements of water depths greater than 0.6 m. Accuracy of the sonar system was evaluated by comparison to traditionally surveyed transect data from a regularly gauged site. We observed an average mean squared deviation of 46.0 cm2, considering only that portion of the cross-section inundated by more than 0.6 m of water. Our procedure proved to be a reliable, accurate, safe, quick, and economic method to record river depths, discharges, bed conditions, and substratum composition necessary for stream habitat studies.

Methods of international health technology assessment agencies for economic evaluations--a comparative analysis.

PubMed

Mathes, Tim; Jacobs, Esther; Morfeld, Jana-Carina; Pieper, Dawid

2013-09-30

The number of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) agencies increases. One component of HTAs are economic aspects. To incorporate economic aspects commonly economic evaluations are performed. A convergence of recommendations for methods of health economic evaluations between international HTA agencies would facilitate the adaption of results to different settings and avoid unnecessary expense. A first step in this direction is a detailed analysis of existing similarities and differences in recommendations to identify potential for harmonization. The objective is to provide an overview and comparison of the methodological recommendations of international HTA agencies for economic evaluations. The webpages of 127 international HTA agencies were searched for guidelines containing recommendations on methods for the preparation of economic evaluations. Additionally, the HTA agencies were requested information on methods for economic evaluations. Recommendations of the included guidelines were extracted in standardized tables according to 13 methodological aspects. All process steps were performed independently by two reviewers. Finally 25 publications of 14 HTA agencies were included in the analysis. Methods for economic evaluations vary widely. The greatest accordance could be found for the type of analysis and comparator. Cost-utility-analyses or cost-effectiveness-analyses are recommended. The comparator should continuously be usual care. Again the greatest differences were shown in the recommendations on the measurement/sources of effects, discounting and in the analysis of sensitivity. The main difference regarding effects is the focus either on efficacy or effectiveness. Recommended discounting rates range from 1.5%-5% for effects and 3%-5% for costs whereby it is mostly recommended to use the same rate for costs and effects. With respect to the analysis of sensitivity the main difference is that oftentimes the probabilistic or deterministic approach is recommended exclusively. Methods for modeling are only described vaguely and mainly with the rational that the "appropriate model" depends on the decision problem. Considering all other aspects a comparison is challenging as recommendations vary regarding detailedness and addressed issues. There is a considerable unexplainable variance in recommendations. Further effort is needed to harmonize methods for preparing economic evaluations.

An economic evaluation and assessment of environmental impact of the municipal solid waste management system for Taichung City in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, Yao-Jen; Chu, Chien-Wei; Lin, Min-Der

2012-05-01

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is an important environmental challenge and subject in urban planning. For sustainable MSWM strategies, the critical management factors to be considered include not only economic efficiency of MSW treatment but also life-cycle assessment of the environmental impact. This paper employed linear programming technique to establish optimal MSWM strategies considering economic efficiency and the air pollutant emissions during the life cycle of a MSWM system, and investigated the correlations between the economical optimization and pollutant emissions. A case study based on real-world MSW operating parameters in Taichung City is also presented. The results showed that the costs, benefits, streams of MSW, and throughputs of incinerators and landfills will be affected if pollution emission reductions are implemented in the MSWM strategies. In addition, the quantity of particulate matter is the best pollutant indicator for the MSWM system performance of emission reduction. In particular this model will assist the decision maker in drawing up a friendly MSWM strategy for Taichung City in Taiwan. Recently, life-cycle assessments of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) strategies have been given more considerations. However, what seems to be lacking is the consideration of economic factors and environmental impacts simultaneously. This work analyzed real-world data to establish optimal MSWM strategies considering economic efficiency and the air pollutant emissions during the life cycle of the MSWM system. The results indicated that the consideration of environmental impacts will affect the costs, benefits, streams of MSW, and throughputs of incinerators and landfills. This work is relevant to public discussion and may establish useful guidelines for the MSWM policies.

Research Priorities for Economic Analyses of Prevention: Current Issues & Future Directions

PubMed Central

Crowley, D. Max; Hill, Laura Griner; Kuklinski, Margaret R.; Jones, Damon E.

2013-01-01

In response to growing interest in economic analyses of prevention efforts, a diverse group of prevention researchers, economists, and policy analysts convened a scientific panel, on “Research Priorities in Economic Analysis of Prevention” at the 19th annual conference of the Society for Prevention Research. The panel articulated four priorities that, if followed in future research, would make economic analyses of prevention efforts easier to compare and more relevant to policymakers, and community stakeholders. These priorities are: (1) increased standardization of evaluation methods, (2) improved economic valuation of common prevention outcomes, (3) expanded efforts to maximize evaluation generalizability and impact, as well as (4) enhanced transparency and communicability of economic evaluations. In this paper we define three types of economic analyses in prevention, provide context and rationale for these four priorities as well as related sub-priorities, and discuss the challenges inherent in meeting them. PMID:23963624

A global comprehensive review of economic interventions to prevent intimate partner violence and HIV risk behaviours.

PubMed

Gibbs, Andrew; Jacobson, Jessica; Kerr Wilson, Alice

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV are co-occurring global epidemics, with similar root causes of gender and economic inequalities. Economic interventions have become a central approach to preventing IPV and HIV. We undertook a comprehensive scoping review of published evaluations of economic interventions that sought to prevent IPV and/or HIV risk behaviours. Forty-five separate analyses of interventions met our criteria. Broadly, unconditional cash transfer interventions showed either flat or positive outcomes; economic strengthening interventions had mixed outcomes, with some negative, flat and positive results reported; interventions combining economic strengthening and gender transformative interventions tended to have positive outcomes. The review highlighted a number of gaps. Specifically, there were limited studies evaluating the impact of economic interventions on female sex workers, young women, and men. In addition, there were missed opportunities, with many evaluations only reporting either IPV- or HIV-related outcomes, rather than both, despite overlaps.

The Investment Decision: Theory and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walton, Martin

1978-01-01

Investigates investment behavior of 42 British business firms to determine the degree to which firms are influenced by standard economic theory. Findings indicated that orthodox economic theories of investment and appraisal techniques have little influence on investment behavior. (Author/DB)

Regulating the economic evaluation of pharmaceuticals and medical devices: a European perspective.

PubMed

Cookson, Richard; Hutton, John

2003-02-01

Throughout the developed world, economic evaluation of costly new pharmaceuticals and medical devices became increasingly widespread and systematic during the 1990s. However, serious concerns remain about the validity and relevance of this economic evidence, and about the transparency and accountability of its use in public sector reimbursement decisions. In this article, we summarise current concerns in Europe, based on interviews with European health economists from industry, universities, research institutes and consulting firms. We identify five challenges for European policy-makers, and conclude that there is considerable scope for improving decision-making without damaging incentives to innovate. The challenges are: (1). full publication of the economic evidence used in reimbursement decisions; (2). the redesign of licensing laws to improve the relevance of economic data available at product launch; (3). harmonisation of economic evaluation methodologies; (4). development of methodologies for evaluation of health inequality impacts; and (5). negotiation of price-performance deals to facilitate the use of economic evidence in post-launch pricing review decisions, as information is gathered from studies of product performance in routine use.

2014 consensus statement from the first Economics of Physical Inactivity Consensus (EPIC) conference (Vancouver).

PubMed

Davis, Jennifer C; Verhagen, Evert; Bryan, Stirling; Liu-Ambrose, Teresa; Borland, Jeff; Buchner, David; Hendriks, Marike R C; Weiler, Richard; Morrow, James R; van Mechelen, Willem; Blair, Steven N; Pratt, Mike; Windt, Johann; al-Tunaiji, Hashel; Macri, Erin; Khan, Karim M

2014-06-01

This article describes major topics discussed from the 'Economics of Physical Inactivity Consensus Workshop' (EPIC), held in Vancouver, Canada, in April 2011. Specifically, we (1) detail existing evidence on effective physical inactivity prevention strategies; (2) introduce economic evaluation and its role in health policy decisions; (3) discuss key challenges in establishing and building health economic evaluation evidence (including accurate and reliable costs and clinical outcome measurement) and (4) provide insight into interpretation of economic evaluations in this critically important field. We found that most methodological challenges are related to (1) accurately and objectively valuing outcomes; (2) determining meaningful clinically important differences in objective measures of physical inactivity; (3) estimating investment and disinvestment costs and (4) addressing barriers to implementation. We propose that guidelines specific for economic evaluations of physical inactivity intervention studies are developed to ensure that related costs and effects are robustly, consistently and accurately measured. This will also facilitate comparisons among future economic evidence. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Measuring value for money: a scoping review on economic evaluation of health information systems

PubMed Central

Bassi, Jesdeep; Lau, Francis

2013-01-01

Objective To explore how key components of economic evaluations have been included in evaluations of health information systems (HIS), to determine the state of knowledge on value for money for HIS, and provide guidance for future evaluations. Materials and methods We searched databases, previously collected papers, and references for relevant papers published from January 2000 to June 2012. For selection, papers had to: be a primary study; involve a computerized system for health information processing, decision support, or management reporting; and include an economic evaluation. Data on study design and economic evaluation methods were extracted and analyzed. Results Forty-two papers were selected and 33 were deemed high quality (scores ≥8/10) for further analysis. These included 12 economic analyses, five input cost analyses, and 16 cost-related outcome analyses. For HIS types, there were seven primary care electronic medical records, six computerized provider order entry systems, five medication management systems, five immunization information systems, four institutional information systems, three disease management systems, two clinical documentation systems, and one health information exchange network. In terms of value for money, 23 papers reported positive findings, eight were inconclusive, and two were negative. Conclusions We found a wide range of economic evaluation papers that were based on different assumptions, methods, and metrics. There is some evidence of value for money in selected healthcare organizations and HIS types. However, caution is needed when generalizing these findings. Better reporting of economic evaluation studies is needed to compare findings and build on the existing evidence base we identified. PMID:23416247

The Water Reuse project: Sustainable waste water re-use technologies for irrigated land in NIS and southern European states; project overview and results.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Elsen, E.; Doerr, S.; Ritsema, C. J.

2009-04-01

In irrigated areas in the New Independent States (NIS) and southern European States, inefficient use of conventional water resources occurs through incomplete wetting of soils, which causes accelerated runoff and preferential flow, and also through excessive evaporation associated with unhindered capillary rise. Furthermore, a largely unexploited potential exists to save conventional irrigation water by supplementation with organic-rich waste water, which, if used appropriately, can also lead to improvements to soil physical properties and soil nutrient and organic matter content. This project aims to (a) reduce irrigation water losses by developing, evaluating and promoting techniques that improve the wetting properties of soils, and (b) investigate the use of organic-rich waste water as a non-conventional water resource in irrigation and, in addition, as a tool in improving soil physical properties and soil nutrient and organic matter content. Key activities include (i) identifying, for the NIS and southern European partner countries, the soil type/land use combinations, for which the above approaches are expected to be most effective and their implementation most feasible, using physical and socio-economic research methods, and (ii) examining the water saving potential, physical, biological and chemical effects on soils of the above approaches, and also their impact on performance. Expected outputs include techniques for sustainable improvements in soil wettability management as a novel approach in water saving, detailed evaluation of the prospects and effects of using supplemental organic-rich waste waters in irrigation, an advanced process-based numerical hydrological model, fully adapted to quantify and upscale resulting water savings and nutrient and potential contaminant fluxes for irrigated areas, and identification of suitable areas in the NIS and Mediterranean (in soil, land use, legislative and socio-economic terms) for implementation.

An economic evaluation of Alexander Technique lessons or acupuncture sessions for patients with chronic neck pain: A randomized trial (ATLAS).

PubMed

Essex, Holly; Parrott, Steve; Atkin, Karl; Ballard, Kathleen; Bland, Martin; Eldred, Janet; Hewitt, Catherine; Hopton, Ann; Keding, Ada; Lansdown, Harriet; Richmond, Stewart; Tilbrook, Helen; Torgerson, David; Watt, Ian; Wenham, Aniela; Woodman, Julia; MacPherson, Hugh

2017-01-01

To assess the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture and usual care, and Alexander Technique lessons and usual care, compared with usual GP care alone for chronic neck pain patients. An economic evaluation was undertaken alongside the ATLAS trial, taking both NHS and wider societal viewpoints. Participants were offered up to twelve acupuncture sessions or twenty Alexander lessons (equivalent overall contact time). Costs were in pounds sterling. Effectiveness was measured using the generic EQ-5D to calculate quality adjusted life years (QALYs), as well as using a specific neck pain measure-the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ). In the base case analysis, incremental QALY gains were 0.032 and 0.025 in the acupuncture and Alexander groups, respectively, in comparison to usual GP care, indicating moderate health benefits for both interventions. Incremental costs were £451 for acupuncture and £667 for Alexander, mainly driven by intervention costs. Acupuncture was likely to be cost-effective (ICER = £18,767/QALY bootstrapped 95% CI £4,426 to £74,562) and was robust to most sensitivity analyses. Alexander lessons were not cost-effective at the lower NICE threshold of £20,000/QALY (£25,101/QALY bootstrapped 95% CI -£150,208 to £248,697) but may be at £30,000/QALY, however, there was considerable statistical uncertainty in all tested scenarios. In comparison with usual care, acupuncture is likely to be cost-effective for chronic neck pain, whereas, largely due to higher intervention costs, Alexander lessons are unlikely to be cost-effective. However, there were high levels of missing data and further research is needed to assess the long-term cost-effectiveness of these interventions.

An economic evaluation of Alexander Technique lessons or acupuncture sessions for patients with chronic neck pain: A randomized trial (ATLAS)

PubMed Central

Essex, Holly; Parrott, Steve; Atkin, Karl; Ballard, Kathleen; Bland, Martin; Eldred, Janet; Hewitt, Catherine; Hopton, Ann; Keding, Ada; Lansdown, Harriet; Richmond, Stewart; Tilbrook, Helen; Torgerson, David; Watt, Ian; Wenham, Aniela; Woodman, Julia; MacPherson, Hugh

2017-01-01

Objectives To assess the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture and usual care, and Alexander Technique lessons and usual care, compared with usual GP care alone for chronic neck pain patients. Methods An economic evaluation was undertaken alongside the ATLAS trial, taking both NHS and wider societal viewpoints. Participants were offered up to twelve acupuncture sessions or twenty Alexander lessons (equivalent overall contact time). Costs were in pounds sterling. Effectiveness was measured using the generic EQ-5D to calculate quality adjusted life years (QALYs), as well as using a specific neck pain measure–the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ). Results In the base case analysis, incremental QALY gains were 0.032 and 0.025 in the acupuncture and Alexander groups, respectively, in comparison to usual GP care, indicating moderate health benefits for both interventions. Incremental costs were £451 for acupuncture and £667 for Alexander, mainly driven by intervention costs. Acupuncture was likely to be cost-effective (ICER = £18,767/QALY bootstrapped 95% CI £4,426 to £74,562) and was robust to most sensitivity analyses. Alexander lessons were not cost-effective at the lower NICE threshold of £20,000/QALY (£25,101/QALY bootstrapped 95% CI -£150,208 to £248,697) but may be at £30,000/QALY, however, there was considerable statistical uncertainty in all tested scenarios. Conclusions In comparison with usual care, acupuncture is likely to be cost-effective for chronic neck pain, whereas, largely due to higher intervention costs, Alexander lessons are unlikely to be cost-effective. However, there were high levels of missing data and further research is needed to assess the long-term cost-effectiveness of these interventions. PMID:29211741

Comparing EQ-5D valuation studies: a systematic review and methodological reporting checklist.

PubMed

Xie, Feng; Gaebel, Kathryn; Perampaladas, Kuhan; Doble, Brett; Pullenayegum, Eleanor

2014-01-01

There has been a growing interest around the world in developing country-specific scoring algorithms for the EQ-5D. This study systematically reviews all existing EQ-5D valuation studies to highlight their strengths and limitations, explores heterogeneity in observed utilities using meta-regression, and proposes a methodological checklist for reporting EQ-5D valuation studies. . We searched Medline, EMBASE, the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED) via Wiley's Cochrane Library, and Wiley's Health Economic Evaluation Database from inception through November 2012, as well as bibliographies of key papers and the EuroQol Plenary Meeting Proceedings from 1991 to 2012 for English-language reports of EQ-5D valuation studies. Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts for relevance. Three reviewers performed data extraction and compared the characteristics and scoring algorithms developed in the included valuation studies. . Of the 31 studies included in the review, 19 used the time trade-off (TTO) technique, 10 used the visual analogue scale (VAS) technique, and 2 used both TTO and VAS. Most studies included respondents from the general population selected by random or quota sampling and used face-to-face interviews or postal surveys. Studies valued between 7 and 198 total states, with 1-23 states valued per respondent. Different model specifications have been proposed for scoring. Some sample or demographic factors, including gender, education, percentage urban population, and national health care expenditure, were associated with differences in observed utilities for moderate or severe health states. . EQ-5D valuation studies conducted to date have varied widely in their design and in the resulting scoring algorithms. Therefore, we propose the Checklist for Reporting Valuation Studies of the EQ-5D (CREATE) for those conducting valuation studies.

Dynamic Transmission Economic Evaluation of Infectious Disease Interventions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Drake, Tom L; Devine, Angela; Yeung, Shunmay; Day, Nicholas P J; White, Lisa J; Lubell, Yoel

2016-02-01

Economic evaluation using dynamic transmission models is important for capturing the indirect effects of infectious disease interventions. We examine the use of these methods in low- and middle-income countries, where infectious diseases constitute a major burden. This review is comprised of two parts: (1) a summary of dynamic transmission economic evaluations across all disease areas published between 2011 and mid-2014 and (2) an in-depth review of mosquito-borne disease studies focusing on health economic methods and reporting. Studies were identified through a systematic search of the MEDLINE database and supplemented by reference list screening. Fifty-seven studies were eligible for inclusion in the all-disease review. The most common subject disease was HIV/AIDS, followed by malaria. A diverse range of modelling methods, outcome metrics and sensitivity analyses were used, indicating little standardisation. Seventeen studies were included in the mosquito-borne disease review. With notable exceptions, most studies did not employ economic evaluation methods beyond calculating a cost-effectiveness ratio or net benefit. Many did not adhere to health care economic evaluations reporting guidelines, particularly with respect to full model reporting and uncertainty analysis. We present a summary of the state-of-the-art and offer recommendations for improved implementation and reporting of health economic methods in this crossover discipline. © 2016 The Authors. Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The cost-effectiveness of interventions in diabetes: a review of published economic evaluations in the UK setting, with an eye on the future.

PubMed

Tucker, Daniel M D; Palmer, Andrew J

2011-04-01

To synthesise key outcomes data from cost-effectiveness studies in diabetes, in the UK setting, and describe a narrative for the evidence-base, in order to understand the direction that future health economics research in this field could be heading. The peer-reviewed literature was searched at http://www.pubmed.com for health economics analyses in diabetes in the UK setting published between 1995 and 2008, using the keywords: "costs", "cost-effectiveness", "diabetes", "UK". Studies on screening for diabetes or prevention of diabetes were excluded, along with studies that looked purely at cost of diabetes treatment or monitoring. There were over 350 hits on MEDLINE. A total of 23 articles were identified and reviewed. 18 studies were in type 2, two in type 1 and three studies in both types 1 and type 2 diabetes. All studies evaluated treatment from the perspective of the NHS, with the time horizons varying from 12 months to patient lifetimes. 13 studies estimated quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE). The majority of studies used health economics modelling techniques to project clinical benefit and cost outcomes beyond the context of clinical trials, with Markov-type models predominating. The United Kingdom Prospective Study of Diabetes was the most frequently cited source of clinical effectiveness and cost data. Most studies were funded by the pharmaceutical industry and evaluated more expensive products, rather than cheaper generic therapies such as human insulin and metformin monotherapy. Treatment-to-target in patients with diabetes in the UK is generally cost-effective and sometimes cost-saving vs. standard care. Ongoing health economics analysis in diabetes is essential as new clinical data are published. Future analysis of clinical and cost outcomes in diabetes could be expected to look beyond the impact of interventions on HbA1c in isolation, as manufacturers seek to differentiate innovative products in the market. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the competitiveness in the market for interventions in diabetes will lead to future cost-effectiveness analysis taking more interest in comparisons of off-patent medication and generic, fixed-dose combination therapies. Copyright © 2010 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Making the economic case for prevention--a view from Wales.

PubMed

Hale, Janine; Phillips, Ceri J; Jewell, Tony

2012-06-20

It is widely acknowledged that adverse lifestyle behaviours in the population now will place an unsustainable burden on health service resources in the future. It has been estimated that the combined cost to the NHS in Wales of overweight and obesity, alcohol and tobacco is in excess of £540 million.In the current climate of financial austerity, there can be a tendency for the case for prevention efforts to be judged on the basis of their scope for cost savings. This paper was prompted by discussion in Wales about the evidence for the cost savings from prevention and early intervention and a resulting concern that these programmes were thus being evaluated in policy terms using an incorrect metric. Following a review of the literature, this paper contributes to the discussion of the potential role that economics can play in informing decisions in this area. This paper argues that whilst studies of the economic burden of diseases provide information about the magnitude of the problem faced, they should not be used as a means of priority setting. Similarly, studies discussing the likelihood of savings as a result of prevention programmes may be distorting the arguments for public health.Prevention spend needs to be considered purposefully, resulting in a strategic commitment to spending. The role of economics in this process is to provide evidence demonstrating that information and support can be provided cost effectively to individuals to change their lifestyles thus avoiding lifestyle related morbidity and mortality. There is growing evidence that prevention programmes represent value for money using the currently accepted techniques and decision making metrics such as those advocated by NICE. The issue here is not one of arguing that the economic evaluation of prevention and early intervention should be treated differently, although in some instances that may be appropriate, rather it is about making the case for these interventions to be treated and evaluated to the same standard. The difficulty arises when a higher standard of cost saving may be expected from prevention and public health programmes.The paper concludes that it is of vital importance that during times of budget constraints, as currently faced, the public health budgets are not eroded to fund secondary care budget shortfalls, which are more easily identifiable. To do so would diminish any possibility of reducing the future burden faced by the NHS of lifestyle-related illnesses.

Costs and epidemiological changes of chronic diseases: implications and challenges for health systems.

PubMed

Arredondo, Armando; Aviles, Raul

2015-01-01

The need to integrate economic and epidemiological aspects in the clinical perspective leads to a proposal for the analysis of health disparities and to an evaluation of the health services and of the new challenges which are now being faced by health system reforms in middle income countries. To identify the epidemiological changes, the demand for health services and economic burden from chronic diseases (diabetes and hypertension) in a middle income county. We conducted longitudinal analyses of costs and epidemiological changes for diabetes and hypertension in the Mexican health system. The study population included both the insured and uninsured populations. The cost-evaluation method was used, based on the instrumentation and consensus techniques. To estimate the epidemiological changes and financial consequences for 2014-2016, six models were constructed according to the Box-Jenkins technique, using confidence intervals of 95%, and the Box-Pierce test. Regarding epidemiological changes expected in both diseases for 2014 vs. 2016, an increase is expected, although results predict a greater increase for diabetes, 8-12% in all three studied institutions, (p < .05). Indeed, in the case of diabetes, the increase was 41469 cases for uninsured population (SSA) and 65737 for the insured population (IMSS and ISSSTE). On hypertension cases the increase was 38109 for uninsured vs 62895 for insured. Costs in US$ ranged from $699 to $748 for annual case management per patient in the case of diabetes, and from $485 to $622 in patients with hypertension. Comparing financial consequences of health services required by insured and uninsured populations, the greater increase (23%) will be for the insured population (p < .05). The financial requirements of both diseases will amount to 19.5% of the total budget for the uninsured and 12.5% for the insured population. If the risk factors and the different health care models remain as they currently are, the economic impact of expected epidemiological changes on the social security system will be particularly strong. Another relevant challenge is the appearance of internal competition in the use and allocation of financial resources with programs for other chronic and infectious diseases.

Costs and Epidemiological Changes of Chronic Diseases: Implications and Challenges for Health Systems

PubMed Central

Arredondo, Armando; Aviles, Raul

2015-01-01

Background The need to integrate economic and epidemiological aspects in the clinical perspective leads to a proposal for the analysis of health disparities and to an evaluation of the health services and of the new challenges which are now being faced by health system reforms in middle income countries. Objective To identify the epidemiological changes, the demand for health services and economic burden from chronic diseases (diabetes and hypertension) in a middle income county. Methods We conducted longitudinal analyses of costs and epidemiological changes for diabetes and hypertension in the Mexican health system. The study population included both the insured and uninsured populations. The cost-evaluation method was used, based on the instrumentation and consensus techniques. To estimate the epidemiological changes and financial consequences for 2014–2016, six models were constructed according to the Box-Jenkins technique, using confidence intervals of 95%, and the Box-Pierce test. Results Regarding epidemiological changes expected in both diseases for 2014 vs. 2016, an increase is expected, although results predict a greater increase for diabetes, 8–12% in all three studied institutions, (p < .05). Indeed, in the case of diabetes, the increase was 41469 cases for uninsured population (SSA) and 65737 for the insured population (IMSS and ISSSTE). On hypertension cases the increase was 38109 for uninsured vs 62895 for insured. Costs in US$ ranged from $699 to $748 for annual case management per patient in the case of diabetes, and from $485 to $622 in patients with hypertension. Comparing financial consequences of health services required by insured and uninsured populations, the greater increase (23%) will be for the insured population (p < .05). The financial requirements of both diseases will amount to 19.5% of the total budget for the uninsured and 12.5% for the insured population. Conclusions If the risk factors and the different health care models remain as they currently are, the economic impact of expected epidemiological changes on the social security system will be particularly strong. Another relevant challenge is the appearance of internal competition in the use and allocation of financial resources with programs for other chronic and infectious diseases. PMID:25781625

The role (or not) of economic evaluation at the micro level: can Bourdieu's theory provide a way forward for clinical decision-making?

PubMed

Lessard, Chantale; Contandriopoulos, André-Pierre; Beaulieu, Marie-Dominique

2010-06-01

Despite increasing interest in health economic evaluation, investigations have shown limited use by micro (clinical) level decision-makers. A considerable amount of health decisions take place daily at the point of the clinical encounter; especially in primary care. Since every decision has an opportunity cost, ignoring economic information in family physicians' (FPs) decision-making may have a broad impact on health care efficiency. Knowledge translation of economic evaluation is often based on taken-for-granted assumptions about actors' interests and interactions, neglecting much of the complexity of social reality. Health economics literature frequently assumes a rational and linear decision-making process. Clinical decision-making is in fact a complex social, dynamic, multifaceted process, involving relationships and contextual embeddedness. FPs are embedded in complex social networks that have a significant impact on skills, attitudes, knowledge, practices, and on the information being used. Because of their socially constructed nature, understanding preferences, professional culture, practices, and knowledge translation requires serious attention to social reality. There has been little exploration by health economists of whether the problem may be more fundamental and reside in a misunderstanding of the process of decision-making. There is a need to enhance our understanding of the role of economic evaluation in decision-making from a disciplinary perspective different than health economics. This paper argues for a different conceptualization of the role of economic evaluation in FPs' decision-making, and proposes Bourdieu's sociological theory as a research framework. Bourdieu's theory of practice illustrates how the context-sensitive nature of practice must be understood as a socially constituted practical knowledge. The proposed approach could substantially contribute to a more complex understanding of the role of economic evaluation in FPs' decision-making. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic Evaluations in the Diagnosis and Management of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Analysis of Quality.

PubMed

Alali, Aziz S; Burton, Kirsteen; Fowler, Robert A; Naimark, David M J; Scales, Damon C; Mainprize, Todd G; Nathens, Avery B

2015-07-01

Economic evaluations provide a unique opportunity to identify the optimal strategies for the diagnosis and management of traumatic brain injury (TBI), for which uncertainty is common and the economic burden is substantial. The objective of this study was to systematically review and examine the quality of contemporary economic evaluations in the diagnosis and management of TBI. Two reviewers independently searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, Health Technology Assessment Database, EconLit, and the Tufts CEA Registry for comparative economic evaluations published from 2000 onward (last updated on August 30, 2013). Data on methods, results, and quality were abstracted in duplicate. The results were summarized quantitatively and qualitatively. Of 3539 citations, 24 economic evaluations met our inclusion criteria. Nine were cost-utility, five were cost-effectiveness, three were cost-minimization, and seven were cost-consequences analyses. Only six studies were of high quality. Current evidence from high-quality studies suggests the economic attractiveness of the following strategies: a low medical threshold for computed tomography (CT) scanning of asymptomatic infants with possible inflicted TBI, selective CT scanning of adults with mild TBI as per the Canadian CT Head Rule, management of severe TBI according to the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines, management of TBI in dedicated neurocritical care units, and early transfer of patients with TBI with nonsurgical lesions to neuroscience centers. Threshold-guided CT scanning, adherence to Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines, and care for patients with TBI, including those with nonsurgical lesions, in specialized settings appear to be economically attractive strategies. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Development of the Guide to Economic Analysis and Research (GEAR) Online Resource for Low- and Middle-Income Countries' Health Economics Practitioners: A Commentary.

PubMed

Adeagbo, Chiaki Urai; Rattanavipapong, Waranya; Guinness, Lorna; Teerawattananon, Yot

2018-05-01

Public health authorities around the world are increasingly using economic evaluation to set priorities and inform decision making in health policy, especially in the development of health benefit packages. Nevertheless, researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) encounter many barriers when conducting economic evaluations. In 2015, the Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program identified key technical and context-specific challenges faced in conducting and using health economic evaluations in LMICs. On the basis of these research findings, the Guide to Economic Analysis and Research (GEAR) online resource (www.gear4health.com) was developed as a reliable aid to researchers in LMICs that would help overcome those challenges. Funded by the Thailand Research Fund and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, GEAR is a free online resource that provides a visual aid tool for planning economic evaluation studies (GEAR mind maps), a repository of national and international economic evaluation guidelines (GEAR guideline comparison), and an active link to a network of volunteer international experts (GEAR: Ask an expert). GEAR will evolve over time to provide relevant, reliable, and up-to-date information through inputs from its users (e.g., periodic survey on methodological challenges) and experts (e.g., in responding to users' questions). The objective of this commentary was to give a brief description of the development and key features of this unique collective information hub aimed at facilitating high-quality research and empowering health care decision makers and stakeholders to use economic evaluation evidence. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic evaluation of preventive dental programs: what can they tell us?

PubMed

Morgan, Mike; Mariño, Rodrigo; Wright, Clive; Bailey, Denise; Hopcraft, Matthew

2012-10-01

The role of public health program planners is to determine the effectiveness of public health programs, what recommendations should be made, what future initiatives should be taken, and what policies should be developed. At a basic level, to choose between competing alternatives, two characteristics of an intervention must be considered; these are its outcome and its cost. Based on cost and outcome, planners must select the option that offers the most advantages. Economic evaluation is commonly adopted by decision makers in the health sector to investigate the effectiveness of public health programs and to help plan future initiatives. Economic evaluation assists decision makers who must weigh the information it provides in the context of many and often competing options. In this way, an economic evaluation is an aid to decision making rather than the decision itself. Economic evaluation is becoming essential for informed decision making, with potential implications for public health policy and practice and for clinical practice too. While economic evaluations are commonly used in decision-making processes about health programs, few examples exist in the oral health literature. In the case of preventive oral health programs, economic analysis is often difficult, largely because it makes demands on epidemiological and demographic data that are hard to meet. This study will address the concepts and tools required to conduct economic evaluations of prevention programs. The emphasis will be on oral health and preventive dental programs, although the concepts presented could be useful for other public health programs by practitioners and managers with the aim of producing effective and efficient oral health programs. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Economic Studies in Motor Neurone Disease: A Systematic Methodological Review.

PubMed

Moore, Alan; Young, Carolyn A; Hughes, Dyfrig A

2017-04-01

Motor neurone disease (MND) is a devastating condition which greatly diminishes patients' quality of life and limits life expectancy. Health technology appraisals of future interventions in MND need robust data on costs and utilities. Existing economic evaluations have been noted to be limited and fraught with challenges. The aim of this study was to identify and critique methodological aspects of all published economic evaluations, cost studies, and utility studies in MND. We systematically reviewed all relevant published studies in English from 1946 until January 2016, searching the databases of Medline, EMBASE, Econlit, NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED) and the Health Economics Evaluation Database (HEED). Key data were extracted and synthesised narratively. A total of 1830 articles were identified, of which 15 economic evaluations, 23 cost and 3 utility studies were included. Most economic studies focused on riluzole (n = 9). Six studies modelled the progressive decline in motor function using a Markov design but did not include mutually exclusive health states. Cost estimates for a number of evaluations were based on expert opinion and were hampered by high variability and location-specific characteristics. Few cost studies reported disease-stage-specific costs (n = 3) or fully captured indirect costs. Utilities in three studies of MND patients used the EuroQol EQ-5D questionnaire or standard gamble, but included potentially unrepresentative cohorts and did not consider any health impacts on caregivers. Economic evaluations in MND suffer from significant methodological issues such as a lack of data, uncertainty with the disease course and use of inappropriate modelling framework. Limitations may be addressed through the collection of detailed and representative data from large cohorts of patients.