Students

ECON8018 – Healthcare Economics for Leaders

2025 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Kompal Sinha
kompal.sinha@mq.edu.au
Teaching assistant/Tutor
Dibo Byambadorj
dibo.byambadorj@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MPH or MHL
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
ECON8016
Unit description Unit description

Leaders in the healthcare industry face challenges in resource allocation, healthcare financing, promoting equity, and designing ethical frameworks for decision-making. This unit equips leaders to communicate health economics theories and knowledge effectively in technical and non-technical contexts, fostering a comprehensive understanding of global health challenges and solutions. Students will be introduced to the economic tools relevant to the knowledge of the economics of health and health care, learning concepts and techniques for critical decision-making accounting for equity and ethics, and equipping students with the knowledge and skills required to navigate complex healthcare environments.

Topics covered may include supply and demand for health, information and insurance markets, key players in the healthcare sector, social insurance, the economics of health innovation (pharmaceuticals, technology and health technology assessment), health policy, health systems around the world, public health economics, health disparities, behavioural health economics, ethics in health, impact on economic development and the case of Indigenous health. Through case studies, policy analysis, and stakeholder engagement exercises, students will learn to formulate, evaluate, and design healthcare policies to balance efficiency and equity.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Critically analyse the importance of health economics and its role in global health policy, and appraise healthcare financing models and their implications for access and equity.
  • ULO2: Analyse and appraise economic evaluations relevant to public health issues.
  • ULO3: Evaluate healthcare markets and the role of market players, market imperfections and the government.
  • ULO4: Develop skills to design and evaluate health policies with a focus on promoting equity and ethical standards.

General Assessment Information

Late Assessment Submission Penalty (written assessments) Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern. For any late submissions of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Formal and observed learning: Quiz 30% No Week 7
Skills development: Current Economic Policy Debate 30% No Week 11
Professional practice: Health Economics Leadership Strategy 40% No Week 13

Formal and observed learning: Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 1.5 hours
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 30%

 

The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate your understanding of key economic concepts, including market efficiency, healthcare financing, and policy evaluation. The quiz is designed to test both your theoretical knowledge and the application of economic principles to real-world health challenges.

You will complete an open-book assessment via iLearn quiz on week 7.

Skills in focus: Problem solving, critical thinking, communication skills, discipline knowledge and work readiness.

Deliverable: Completed iLearn quiz.

This is an individual assessment.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and appraise economic evaluations relevant to public health issues.
  • Evaluate healthcare markets and the role of market players, market imperfections and the government.

Skills development: Current Economic Policy Debate

Assessment Type 1: Debate
Indicative Time on Task 2: 18 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 30%

 

The purpose of this task is for you to demonstrate innovative approaches to current economic policy debate.

You will review the literature, social media, reports, statistics, trends and economics related to the topic allocated to you and then showcase your approach in a group podcast.

Skills in focus: Critical thinking, communication and collaboration skills, work readiness

Deliverable: Podcast.

This is a group assessment.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically analyse the importance of health economics and its role in global health policy, and appraise healthcare financing models and their implications for access and equity.
  • Analyse and appraise economic evaluations relevant to public health issues.
  • Develop skills to design and evaluate health policies with a focus on promoting equity and ethical standards.

Professional practice: Health Economics Leadership Strategy

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 40%

 

The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate your capability to develop a strategic plan addressing a health system challenge using economic frameworks.

You will develop a strategic plan which addresses a health system challenge using economic frameworks. You will integrate health economics and leadership skills into a white paper. 

Skills in focus: Critical thinking and problem solving, discipline knowledge, work readiness and communication skills. 

Deliverable: 3,000-word strategy report on health policy.

This is an individual assessment.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically analyse the importance of health economics and its role in global health policy, and appraise healthcare financing models and their implications for access and equity.
  • Analyse and appraise economic evaluations relevant to public health issues.
  • Develop skills to design and evaluate health policies with a focus on promoting equity and ethical standards.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Required and recommended text:

Lee, R. H. (2014). Economics for healthcare managers. ACHE Learn.

Phillips, C. J. (2008). Health economics: an introduction for health professionals. John Wiley & Sons.

Bhattacharya, J., Hyde, T., & Tu, P. (2013). Health economics. Macmillan International Higher Education.

Folland, S., A. Goodman and M. Stano, The Economics of Health and Health Care, (8th Ed), Pearson.

These textbooks are available for purchase at Co-op Bookshop. A small number are available on reserve in the library. Earlier editions are similar but page references may change.

Teaching and learning resources

  • Course material is available on the iLearn unit page.
  • Students will be required to read journal articles every week.
  • The list of these articles will be posted on iLearn unit page.
  • Students will need a PC/Tablet. 
  • Students will use MS-Office for this unit.
  • Students will need to be familiar with platforms for online communications such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams. 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2025.03 of the Handbook