Book Title: Introduction to Health Economics: What Every Health Professional Should Know

Author: ABDUL RAHMAN BIN RAMDZAN

Cover image for Introduction to Health Economics: What Every Health Professional Should Know

Book Description:

This book provides a practical and accessible introduction to health economics, designed especially for students and healthcare professionals in Malaysia and beyond. It explains the principles of economic evaluation, decision-making in healthcare, and the link between economics and public policy. The book demonstrates how economic evidence can guide resource allocation, improve efficiency, and promote equity in health systems. Key topics include cost-effectiveness analysis, measuring quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and applying economic evaluation tools in real-world decision-making. By bridging theory with practice, this book equips learners with the skills to analyse healthcare challenges critically and make informed decisions. It is an essential resource for students of health management, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to maximise health outcomes with limited resources.

License:
Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike

Contents

Book Information

Book Description

Health systems everywhere face the challenge of providing high-quality care with limited resources. Intro to Health Economics: What Every Health Professional Should Know introduces students and professionals to the essential tools of health economics, empowering them to make evidence-based decisions that balance cost, effectiveness, and equity.

The book begins by laying out the foundations of health economics, including opportunity cost, efficiency, and market failures in healthcare. It then guides readers through the methods of economic evaluation: cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, and cost-benefit analysis. It will guide how these tools are applied to real-world healthcare problems. Practical chapters explain how to design decision models, measure health outcomes such as QALYs, and interpret sensitivity analyses. Importantly, the book links economics directly to public policy, highlighting how evidence shapes decisions about vaccination programs, screening initiatives, and access to essential medicines.

Written in a clear and engaging style, this book is ideal for students, policymakers, and health professionals. It equips readers with the knowledge to analyse health interventions, evaluate trade-offs, and design policies that improve population health while ensuring efficient use of resources. By bridging economics and public health, this book provides not only academic insight but also practical guidance for anyone involved in managing health systems and shaping health policy.

Author

ABDUL RAHMAN BIN RAMDZAN

License

Subject

Health economics

Metadata

Title
Introduction to Health Economics: What Every Health Professional Should Know
Author
ABDUL RAHMAN BIN RAMDZAN
Reviewers
Dr. Amirah binti Azzeri and Dr. Mohd Hafiz bin Jaafar
License

eISBN 978-629-94545-3-3

Pusat e-Pembelajaran makes no representation – express or implied, with regard to the accuracy of information contained in this book. Users of the information in this book need to verify it on their own before utilizing such information. Views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Some diagrams were beyond the control of the proofreaders and ebook editors to amend. Pusat e-Pembelajaran shall not be responsible or liable for any special consequential, or exemplary problems or damages resulting in whole or part, from the reader’s use of, or reliance upon, the contents of this book.

Acknowledgments
This publication is made possible with the support of the Commonwealth of Learning, Canada and Pusat e-Pembelajaran Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

Published by
Pusat e-Pembelajaran,
Aras 5, Blok B, Bangunan Fakulti Komputeran Informatik
Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400
Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia

Tel: 088-320 000 (207802)
Email: cel@ums.edu.my

Primary Subject
Health economics
Publisher
Pusat e-Pembelajaran Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Publication Date
December 12, 2025
Ebook ISBN
978-629-94545-3-3