The health economics of palliative care

The Palliative Care SIG brings together researchers examining the value, outcomes and delivery of palliative care through economic evaluations, data analysis and patient-centred research.

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Palliative care is family-centred care for those with life-limiting illnesses. Contrary to many treatments, palliative care primarily focuses on optimising quality of life rather than extending it. This SIG will help to promote increasing research into the health economics of palliative care, including economic evaluations alongside clinical trials; quasi-experimental analysis using administrative datasets; and qualitative work and choice experiments to provide further knowledge of how of palliative care outcomes can be captured and measured.

Aim and objectives

Aim To promote increasing research into the health economics of palliative care, including economic evaluations alongside clinical trials; quasi-experimental analysis using administrative datasets.

Objectives

  • Provide an opportunity for researchers to share work programs to identify areas of overlap (opportunities to collaborate) and gaps (opportunities for new research programs), as well as to minimise duplication
  • Develop a research agenda for the health economics of palliative care within Australia, ideally to be published as a working paper or journal article
  • Develop links to key government and health service stakeholders to understand their issues, and how research can better help to inform their decisions.

Activity plan

  • An online forum on the health economics of palliative care, scheduled for March/April 2024, to bring together researchers across Australia
  • Development of a research agenda for the economics of palliative care, to identify key issues, gaps and research themes
  • Establishment of a database of health economists working in this field
  • Organised palliative care session for palliative care research, and a SIG meeting, at AHES 2024 and/or 2025
  • Research dissemination with government, AIHW and Palliative Care Australia to promote findings from the group’s research, and to understand key issues from stakeholders.

Joining the SIG

If you would like to join the SIG, please contact the conveners:

Conveners

Chris Schilling
Chris Schilling

Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne

Hannah Carter
Hannah Carter

Queensland University of Technology

Cate Bailey
Cate Bailey

Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne