Special Interest Groups

The aim of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) is to connect members of AHES who have a similar research interest, allowing exchange of knowledge, facilitating cooperation on grants, joint conference submissions, submissions to parliamentary inquiries, and meetups (for example an organised meeting at AHES), thereby building research capacity and policy impact. All activities should relate to a common interest, for example a specific research area, method or teaching initiatives.

Current SIGs
Propose a new SIG
Terms of Reference
Home 9 Special Interest Groups

Current Special Interest Groups

Cancer economics

This SIG covers the topic of cancer economics from primary prevention, early detection, to diagnosis, treatment, cancer survivorship, supportive and palliative care.

Health preference economics

This SIG focuses on understanding preferences of key stakeholders, including patients, clinicians and decision-makers using choice experiment methodology.

Health equity

This SIG focuses on developing evidence to monitor, understand and reduce unfair differences in health and healthcare.

Aged care, ageing and dementia

The SIG will focus on topics related to aged care, ageing, cognitive decline/ dementia as well as loneliness and social isolation in old age.

Economics and Implementation Research

This SIG focuses on strengthening the integration of economic methods within implementation research to enhance the value, efficiency, and sustainability of health system improvements. 

Economics of infectious diseases

This SIG focuses on employing health economics methodologies to tackle infectious diseases, from economic evaluations of interventions to comprehensive analyses targeting infectious disease mitigation.

Health care funding

The SIG will include members interested in the financing and organisation of health care, aged care, and disability care.

Economics of mental health

This SIG brings together health economists working on issues in mental health including services, policy, outcomes, and determinants.

Economics of Innovation and Digital Health

This SIG focusses on generating high-quality economic evidence on the economics of health innovation, digital health technologies, AI applications , new organisational practices and data-driven decision-making, and to translate that evidence into policy and practice across Australasia.

Health economics of palliative care

This SIG promotes research into the health economics of palliative care, including economic evaluations, analysis of administrative data, and  measuring of palliative care outcomes.

Special Interest Groups - Terms of Reference

Establishing a new Special Interest Group

AHES welcomes proposals to establish SIGs that can be submitted at any point. All proposal will be reviewed by the AHES Executive Committee at regular intervals.

Proposing a new Special Interest Group

Proposals to establish new SIGs should include the following information:

  • Proposed name of the SIG
  • Description of the health economic policy area, clinical interest, and/or methodology
  • Aim and objectives of the SIG
  • Expected activity plan (max 2000 characters) for the ensuing 12 months
  • Brief bio (max 2000 characters each) for at least 2 initial convenors
  • List of members and their AHES membership status willing to contribute to SIG activities.

Please download and fill in this Proposal Form and submit your proposal to news@ahes.org.au.

Benefits of SIGs

All SIGs approved by the AHES Executive Committee will be offered:

  • Support in communicating activities by the SIG via the AHES mailing list and socialmedia channels
  • Advertisement and promotion on the AHES website
  • Opportunity for organized sessions at AHES annual conference
  • Admin support to confirm membership status

Membership

The convenors and at least five other members of the SIG must be current AHES members.

Conveners

There should be a minimum of two co-convenors for each SIG and we recommend maintaining a gender balance plus a combination of senior and Early and Mid-Career (EMCR) AHES members, where possible. We recommend each SIG to consider additional convenors to assist in: communications, membership, EMCR support, and conference activity. Convenors should rotate every two years and be voted by a simple majority of SIG members who are also current AHES members. Convenors may self- nominate if there are no other candidates.

Annual Report

SIGs should provide an annual report, using this Annual Report form, one month prior
to the annual AHES conference detailing:

  1. Number of members and convenors (AHES and non-AHES members),
  2. Number and type of activities over the prior 12 months,
  3. Number of SIG meetings over the prior 12 months, and
  4. Activities planned for the ensuing 12 months.

Please submit your annual report to news@ahes.org.au.

External Comminications

All external communications concerning the AHES SIG should be pre-approved by the AHES Executive. Please direct any inquiries to news@ahes.org.au.