Medical technologies and pharmaceutics are strictly evaluated regarding their effects on patients and the health system. This starts at research and development continuing up to production and integration into the health system.
This is important to evaluate and predict benefit, market possibilities and economic success of such technologies. These include analyses of needed data, evidence and proof of the benefits, identification of the target population, representation of the patients that should be supplied and evaluation of the therapeutic outcomes. For students in the area of Biomedical Engineering, Medical Informatics and Mathematicians in the Area of HEOR (Health Economic Outcomes Research) therefore basic knowledge on these subjects and processes provides an excellent extension for their curriculum.
In the lecture, we present actual problems of the health system and where methods from modelling and simulation are applied to get solutions. Therefore, three different mathematical modeling concepts are introduced (System Dynamics, Agent-Based Simulation and Markov Processes) which are widely used for evaluation of interventions and medical technologies. The implementation phase of simulation models is presented and shown with examples. Finally the interfaces between the health system (macro level) and clinical, experimental and simulation data (micro level) will be outlined and examples for applications will be shown.
Basic knowledge of concepts and methods on Comparative Modeling & Simulation, Health Systems, Data Structures and Evidence Based Medicine will be taught. Students receive an introduction into data structures, available data and decision-making structures in the Austrian health system and HTA and CER. In addition basic concepts for the evaluation of medical devices and pharmaceuticals as well as Health Technology Assessment (HTA) are explained (e.g. definition of a PICO research question, building mathematical models for this PICO structure).
The preliminary discussion will take place on 2022-10-20 at 3pm in Seminarraum 107/1. Thereafter the lecture will take place weekly on Thursday between 3 and 5pm.
The course is based on the basics of mathematical modeling concepts and simulation in general. In addition, in the field of HTA and CER as well as Medical Decision Making on the work on "Modeling Good Research Practices" see also: https://smdm.org/hub/page/modeling-good-research-practices-task-force/publications
The lecture is held in cooperation with DEXHELPP (Decision Support for Health Policy and Planning). DEXHELPP (http://dexhelpp.at/)) works in close cooperation with TU Wien on the development and use of new methods, models and technologies to support the analysis, planning and management of health systems.
We expect the following expenditure of time:
0.5h Preliminary
18.5h VU units (11 x 1.5h, 2 x 1.0h)
0.5h Project release
35.0h Project work including meetings with your supervisor
15.0h Preparation examination
1.0h Examination
3.0h Preparation for project presentation
1.5h Project presentation
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75.0h = 3 ECTS
We ask you to comply with the LVA registration period.
