1.1           Health Service Academy

The HSA was established in 1988 to provide short training courses to in-service public health practitioners & professionals. The promulgation of HSA Ordinance, 2002 gave it an autonomous status. Over the years, it has established itself as the premier research & teaching institution of public health. Today, it is the only institution that offers PhD in Public Health in Pakistan. It also offers FCPS, MS in Public Health, & MEDVC, M.Sc in Health Economics & Management & a PG Cert Human Resource in Health. The Academy remains committed to strengthen the capacity of public health professionals by excellence in teaching, research, and policy advice.

1.2           Health Economics & Management (HEM) Department

The Department of Health Economics and Management at Health Services Academy was established in Fall 2013. Given the scarcity of health professionals trained in principles of management and health financing in Pakistan, the Department of Health Economics took pioneering initiative to start MSc Health Economics and Management, which is a especially designed post graduate Degree Program in collaboration with the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. The Department is providing high-quality teaching and research with the help of internationally renowned permanent and visiting faculty in field of Health Economics  and Management.

1. Health Economics and Management is one of the major programmes being offered at HSA. Health Economics and Management deals with the relationship between health of individuals and the resources needed to sustain and improve it. The question of fulfilling infinite requirements (here the need for health, nutrition, environment etc.) with limited resources (materials, time, money, human etc.) in the best (choosing the best among alternatives-efficiency) of manners brings in the economics to health discipline, thus making Health Economics a vibrant and policy-centric subject for learning.

1.2.1      Research at HEM

The Department carries out policy-oriented research in the field of health through a multidisciplinary lens, mainly that of economics and management. Some of the areas of interests for the department include: supply and demand for health; production of health; costs of health care; government intervention in health care markets; health insurance; cost Benefit Analysis (CBA), cost Effectiveness Analysis (CEA), Cost Utility Analysis (CUA), and public-private partnership in health service delivery.

1.2.2      Research Dissemination

Appropriate application and use of research is not conceivable without effective dissemination especially among the stakeholders. The HSA disseminates the research information carried out at the HSA through seminars, conferences and workshops, and working papers. These seminars / workshops, conferences are conducted in different cities of the country to create awareness in the stakeholders including professionals and experts from all over Pakistan in the process. The Has publication section also helps publicize the research conducted at HAS far and wide. The in-house publisher is credited by publishing world’s longest running only public health journal, the Pakistan Journal of Public Health (PJPH) for the last 20 years, along with publishing Institute’s reports, working papers and mimeographs .

1.2.3      Academics at HSA

The HEM department has four academic clusters, namely:

1. Public Health cluster
2. Health Economics cluster
3. Health Management Cluster
4. Social welfare / Policy cluster

The Health Economics cluster builds on the existing strength in health Economics at HSA. Due to availability of senior faculty members from leading universities of the world and the addition of adjunct faculty members from renowned international universities, HEM department initiated BS and Master of Philosophy in Health Economics and Management. The programme aims to produce professionals well-versed in the application of economics to health and healthcare. Initially an BS degree is being offered with plans to initiate a M.Phill and PhD in the field at a later time.

1.2.4      Short Courses at HSA

The purpose of offering short certificate courses is to familiarize health care professionals with basics of Health Economics & Management, Leadership development in Health Sector, Health Planning, Decision Making, Health Care Quality Management, Health Financing, Health Care costing and Budgeting. The targeted audience for this course are personnel from the (i) Provincial and Federal Health Departments (ii) Provincial and Federal Planning Departments (iii) Cabinet and Finance Division (iv) Planning and Development Division (v) Ministry of Health (vi) Parliamentarians (vii) University and college students (viii) Media persons related to social sector development and reforms (ix) Social sector development analysts (x) International Organizations and (xi) Non-Governmental Organizations, (xii) Health insurance companies.

Along with the above-mentioned degree programmes, conducting short courses on the above four clusters are also part of the HSA agenda, especially for the Health Economics cluster. Given the need to fulfill the dearth of economic understanding of health and healthcare issues such courses can help get expertise for those who cannot enroll for the whole duration of the degree programme.

1.2.5      Vision of HEM Department

The HEM Department aspires to be the Centre of Excellence for Health Economics and Management and related disciplines through quality teaching, research and policy advice.

1.2.6      Mission of HEM Department

HSA maintaining the high standards and strength to provide education in public health in Pakistan over the last 25 years, HEM department commits to provide excellence in teaching and research through:

1. Prepare such type of research programmes that develop the understanding of problems and creation of knowledge important to provide inputs for population, health and social policies responding to the national needs.
2. To create an environment where the faculty has a thirst for teaching and communicating knowledge.

• Produce students with the knowledge, skills and experience that lead to personal development and an ability to apply their skills to meet the new challenges and needs of the society.

1. Develop international liaison with the national and international organizations / institutions to enhance education facilities to increase the academic and research perspectives and adding a global context.
2. Reaching out to an expanded audience of learners, practitioners and policy makers through residential, distance learning and short duration education programmes as well as dissemination events utilizing a variety of learning media and technologies.
3. Playing a leading role in country’s public health, planning and development process of health system

1.2.7      Objectives of HEM Department

During these two years of studies, the students will be familiarized with essential components of public health, health systems, fundamental principles of management, financing, and human resource management. Overall objective of this program is to develop knowledge and skills to address the managerial and administrative issues of Public and Private sector health settings at all levels. Main objectives of this program are,

1. To strengthen local capacity to learn and apply management principles and techniques in health sector policy and management.
2. To improve decision-making process in health services management.
3. To prepare a pool of health managers and health economists in the country for improved health care system.
4. To explore, assimilate and publicize knowledge through research in the field of health especially with demography and economics lens.
5. To develop professionals with the right mix of knowledge, skills and competence in Health Economics & Management and related disciplines.
6. Coherent and interpret the knowledge produced into evidence-based population, health and social policies and practices.

1.2.8      Core Values of HEM Department

• Freedom of inquiry
• Transparency
• Respect for diversity
• A culture of lifelong learning
• Personal and organizational integrity

1.2.9      Motto of HEM Department

Inquire, teach and serve to improve health status of people.

2.    Bachelor of Science in Health Economics & Management

Health Economics & Management is a rapidly rising field which has attained much importance among the public health practitioners, governments, physicians, pharmaceutical industry, and health insurance companies, worldwide but it remains a very ignored area in Pakistan.

There is a dire need to create the discipline in the country and prepare & train professionals who can deal with these issues skillfully and diligently. Health economics provides significant flexibility and multiplicity in the application of economic tools to health and healthcare, which can be helpful in better understanding and forecasting of related issues.

In the regards of worsening public health system in Pakistan, the discipline of economics is judgmentally very important for measuring health impact of diseases and interventions; assessing the cause-effect associations between care-seeking behaviour and the precise features of persons and health systems; reckoning the statistical relationship between patient compliance and personal as well as intervention-specific characteristics.

In Health economics one can also: measure inefficient allocation of resource use by governments or individual health institutions; provide choices in public health interferences; evaluate the macroeconomic nexuses between disease, development, poverty, and globalization; and measure health systems’ progress & performance and advise governments and policy makers accordingly. Keeping in view the importance of Health Economics and Management field and its worldwide applicability, the Department of Health Economics and Management was established in 2012 and has close association with the HSA.

2.1           Why Pursue BS in Health Economics and Management at HSA?

Being the seat of Public Health in Pakistan, HSA’s BS in Health Economics and Management programme is designed to introduce students to the ways in which management and economic principles and ideas can be useful to the analysis of decisions by consumer(patient), hospital, firms (Pharmaceutical industry) and governments regarding health and healthcare. The programme offers training in all aspects of Health Economics and Management, meet the dreadful need for wide-ranging programme in Pakistan. Evidently defined academic teaching confirm all students have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in this programme regardless of the previous management and economics background. This highly specialized programme emphasize critical insight into the complex managerial and economic issues in health sector administration, and their economic impacts of health decisions. The BS and M.phil. Health Economics & Management programme is planned to provide first-class training in the theoretical foundations and practical applications of Health Economics & Management approaches for decision-making and policy formulation in health and health care, in the framework of ethical principles of society.

The programme will enhance capability of students with the experience and skills necessary to take part in health services decision-making through training in health systems and the managerial and economic principles that lead their organization and function.

The foundation for specialisation in Health Economics and Management is built through course work in the major areas of Health Economics & Management, specifically Issues in Public Health, Economic Theory, Statistics and Econometrics, Economic Evaluation Methods, Healthcare Financing and Health Insurance, Health Policy and Planning, Healthcare Organisation, Analysis and Management, Pharmaceutical Economics, Marketing, Principal of Management  and Modelling in Health Economics.

Students will gain an understanding of the key analytical arguments that are used in health economics and their normative foundations and ethical implications.

In Health economics one can also: measure inefficient allocation of resource use by governments or individual health institutions; provide choices in public health interferences; evaluate the macroeconomic nexuses between disease, development, poverty, and globalization; and measure health systems’ progress & performance and advise governments and policy makers accordingly.

The students are trained:

• Ø To assess health effect of diseases and interventions; estimating the cause-effect association between care-seeking behaviour and the specific characteristics of individuals and health systems;
• Ø To measure the statistical relationship between patient compliance and personal as well as intervention specific attributes,
• Ø To evaluate inefficient allocation of resource use by governments or individual health institutions; provide choices in public health interferences; evaluate the macroeconomic nexuses between disease, development, poverty, and globalization; and measure health systems’ progress & performance and advise governments and policy makers accordingly

Moreover, they will obtain wide knowledge of the nature and sources of socio-economic data, recent challenges and major areas of research, and the role of observation, concept, and model building to ease pragmatic assessment.

2.2           Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives of the BS Health Economics & Management Programme

2.2.1       Programme Vision

To produce health management specialist and health economists, expert in the application of management & economic tools to health and healthcare issues.

2.2.2      Programme Mission

To produce highly trained health economists who have deep and higher level understanding in theoretical foundations and real-world applications for health economic methods in decision-making and policy development for health and health care.

2.2.3      Programme Goals

The BS and MS Health Economics and Management (HEM) Programme supports the Academy’s mission by equipping students with a comprehensive set of management knowledge and skills along-with the understanding of planning, financing and economic evaluation tools and techniques for improved management of health care services.

The overall aim of this program is to enhance management capacity of the participants in order to improve the health service management of the country.

1. To improve knowledge and skills in applying appropriate tools of economic analysis in the study and evaluation of inputs, processes and outcomes of health care and health care systems.
2. To familiarize students with the economic reasoning and logic utilized in health sector and health policy and health system reforms.

• To train students with the essential techniques for evaluating the organisation and financing of health care systems.

1. To enhance and develop capacity in the decision-making process in the health sector.
2. To solve health system problems through the application of economic techniques
3. To manage and economize resources for health for gaining efficiency, equity and sustainability.

• To make health economic policy decisions based on evidence. Analyze health economic policy alternatives, balancing economic, financial and socioeconomic imperatives.
• Demonstrate the knowledge of economics, justify the use of economic analysis in health care, and incorporate health economic analysis in their work.

1. Evaluate different economic approaches to priority setting in health care.
2. Appraise the role of effective health care finance and delivery.
3. Communicate and advocate the role of health economic policies effectively.

2.2.4      Programme Objectives

During these two years of studies, the students will be familiarized with essential components of public health, health systems, fundamental principles of management, financing, and human resource management. Overall objective of this program is to develop knowledge and skills to address the managerial and administrative issues of Public and Private sector health settings at all levels. Main objectives of this program are,

• To strengthen local capacity to learn to apply economic principles and techniques for the analyses of issues in the health sector policy and management
• To understand nature and implications of health economics and management.
• To improve the decision making process in the health sector.
• To prepare a pool of health economists and health managers in the country for an improved health and health care system.

2.2.5      BS HEM Learning Outcomes:

After successfully completing this program students should be able to:

• Take on leadership roles in health planning, management and decision-making in health sector.
• Analyse and manage the problems being faced by the health managers in routine as well as in special circumstances.
• Apply the management functions such as planning, organizing, staffing controlling and evaluating interventions in health care settings.
• Construct budgets, undertake financial costing and cost effectiveness of healthcare services.
• Evaluate different economic approaches for better priority setting in health care.
• Appraise the role of effective health care financing and improved service delivery at all levels.

2.3           Job Prospects and Scope of BS Health Economics & Management Degree

After completion of this specialized health economic and management programme students can expect to find placement in public sector organizations, Planning Commission of Pakistan, private sector organizations including for-profit, not-for-profit, research institutions, hospitals, academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies and other development agencies. The programme provides a plate forms to the students to develop strong analytical skills and professional capabilities in health economic and management. After attaining the   qualification, you may peruse career in national and international health organizations both in opportunity to serve public and private sectors. Graduates may attain job in national health services and health care organizations, government departments, pharmaceutical industry, research units, and universities. Last but not the least our graduates can pursue PhD in Health management, Health Economics in foreign universities.

2.4           The BS Health Economics & Management Programme Structure

An understanding of Health Economics & Management is a vital component of education in social and health sciences and absolutely necessity for anyone interested in areas as Health Economics & Management.

BS Health Economics & Management is a four years degree program comprising of eight regular semesters. Students with degree of F.Sc. / F.A. / A. levels or equivalent are given admission in this program. An eligibility criterion is defined by university. Along with the eight regular semesters, university may offer summer sessions to provide opportunities to the students who fail or withdraw a course and those who wish to improve their grades. At the last semester (Eight semesters) the students have to present their project is essential.

This program is designed to familiarize students with the broad range of issues and situations studied by health managers and health economists and the tools they use. The curriculum starts at the very basic introductory level. As such no specific high school preparation is required, therefore students with diversified background equally fit in the program. However, an appreciation for mathematics and statistics shall prove to be useful. All Health Economics & Management undergraduate majors study a significant core of economic theory and mathematical and statistical methods and are then in a position to choose among a wide variety of higher electives.

2.5           Teaching and Learning Methods

Learning mainly takes place in interactive lectures and through group/individual learning assignments. Frequent seminars complement the student centred learning approach of the programme. Comprehensive relevant access to literature supports the students’ individual learning. State of the art library and computer labs facilitates the learning environment at HSA.

Coursework revolves around problem and case-based learning activities to develop the applicable skills required for health economics research and practice. These skills include: analytical problem formulation, assessment and analysis of economic data, and the use of decision analytic software. Emphasis will be given to identification of the key objectives and assumptions of health economics research and practice, evaluation of the relevant evidence, and methods of interpreting data and avoiding logical inconsistencies. Through the various learning activities, the student gains self-confidence and professionalism by presenting and defending their ideas and views before critical audiences, as well as actively listening to the arguments and perspectives of others.

2.6           Programme Duration, Credits and Medium of Instruction

BS Health Economics & Management is a four years degree program comprising of eight regular semesters. The seven semesters and part of eight semester are dedicated to course work, culminating in an end-of-semester examination for each semester. In the eight semester, all students present project. All semesters are followed by a semester break of at least two weeks duration. The programme consists of 130 credits, of which 127 credits are for course work (81 for core and 6 for elective courses), and 3 credit hours are for project. English is the medium of instruction and examination for the BS Health Economics & Management programme.

3.     Admissions in BS (Health Economics & Management)

3.1.1      Entry Requirements / Eligibility Criteria

Candidates with FA/F.Sc or equivalent qualification (Certificate/ Diploma holder, Medical Technology Group etc.) or A -Levels and having at least second division, securing 45% marks in aggregate are eligible to apply.

Qualifying admission test and interview is compulsory. Candidates scoring less than 40% marks each in the test/interview will stand disqualified for admission. Candidates who have secured at least 40% in the NAT are also eligible to apply .

3.1.2      Frequency:

Admissions in BS Health Economics & Management are offered biannually.

3.1.3      Dates:

July / August, February/March

3.1.4      Merit Calculation:

[(Marks obtained in Matric or equivalent/Total Marks) *20] +[(Marks obtained in F.Sc or equivalent/Total Marks )*60] + [(Test/interview Marks)*20]

Note: The merit of students with Diploma/ Certificate O-Levels / A-Levels is calculated on the basis of equivalence certificate issued by Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC), Islamabad.

4.     PROPOSED SCHEME OF STUDIES FOR BS (4-YEARS) HEALTH ECONOMICS & MANAGEMENT

* Each course worth 3 credit hours, except Islamic Studies/Ethics and Pakistan Studies. The two courses are of two credit hours each.

5.     PROPOSED SEMESTER WISE SPLIT UP OF COURSES BS (4-YEARS) HEALTH ECONOMICS & MANAGEMENT