Costs and Benefits in Health Care and Prevention

One of the main purposes of medical cost-benefit analyses is to define the rational priorities in health care. This book amibitiously undertakes to compare the cost-benefit analyses of three countries: the United States, Germany and Israel. Cardiovascular disease is focused on to provide a model case study, but other areas also provide examples. The contributions consider in particular two recent developments. These are the increase in comprehensive epidemiological data, especially with regard to risk factors, and improved methodology for measuring the quality of life. The contributions stem from clinicians, epidemiologists and health economists who give an overall picture of these complex issues and the prospects for the future.
Dem Leser dieses Buches wird ein Überblick zum Kosten-Leistungsverhältnis der Krankenversicherungssysteme der USA, Deutschlands und Israels vermittelt. Dazu wurden Fallstudien aus dem Bereich der kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen herangezogen.

I Introduction. - Epidemiology and Economy, and the Appraisal of Human Life: Ethical and Practical Limitations of how to Value Health Benefits. - II Concepts. - Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Cost-Benefit Analysis and the Value of Life in Health Care and Prevention. - Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Health Care: Opportunities and Challenges to International Comparisons. - The Feasibility of Willingness-To-Pay Measurement in Health Services Research. - The Willingness-To-Pay Approach: Caveats to Biased Application. - III Experience. - 1. The Case of a Risk Factor: Hypertension. - Attitude and Behaviour of Stuttgart s Primary Care Physicians with Regard to the Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Treatment of Mild Hypertension. - Comparisons of 1977 and 1987 Physician s Knowledge Survey Implications on Cost and Hypertension Management. - Evaluation of Cost-Effectiveness of Physician-Nurse Teams as Compared to Physicians Working alone in Primary Care Practices in Community Control of Hypertension. - The Ashkelon Hypertension Detection and Control Program: Medical and Cost Implications. - The Mangement of Hypertension: A Clinical Dilemma with Health Policy Implications. - 2. The Case of Clinical Disease. - Angina Pectoris Prophylaxis: A Model Estimate of Cost and Benefit. - Cost Considerations for the Management of End Stage Renal Disease in the United States. - Medical Treatment and its Implications on Costs. An Analysis with Process Data from the German Statutory Health Insurance. - IV The New Dimension: Quality of Life. - Quality of Life: Methodological Key Issues. - Towards the Integrated Measurement of Quality of Life. - Quality of Life, Clinical Trials, and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: Conceptual Issues with Hypertension as an Example. - V Comments on the State of the Art. - Noteson Economic Evaluation. - Some Limitations in the Analysis of Costs and Benefits. - Research Perspectives for the Future: International Cooperation in Comparing Costs and Benefits of the Best Demonstrated Practice in Health Care and Prevention.