VicHealth researcher: Jeff Richardson
“Increasing pressure on health budgets implies an increasing role for economic evaluation. These should include the full spectrum of social benefits.”
Professor Jeff Richardson of Monash University is a health economist whose research develops instruments to evaluate the social and economic benefits of health services, with a focus on health promotion and improved quality of life.
Contact Professor Jeff Richardson
Email: jeff.richardson@buseco.monash.edu.au
Phone: +61 (03) 9905 0754
The research program seeks to extend the boundaries of what is included in economic evaluation of health services and to do it in a way which puts health promotion and quality of life enhancing services on a “level playing field” when they are evaluated. This program will identify and seek valid measurement of health related social objectives.
Jeff is a Professor in the Faculty of Business and Economics and Foundation Director of Monash University’s Centre for Health Economics. His research interests have covered most aspects of health economics, including: health system reform; the econometric modelling of hospital and medical supply; demand and medical fees; cost effectiveness and cost utility analysis; modelling the quality of life with multi attribute utility instruments and the measurement of social and ethical preferences relating to resource allocation in the health sector.
Increasing pressure on health budgets implies an increasing role for economic evaluation. These should include the full spectrum of social benefits. Objectives must be identified and – to influence economic evaluation studies – quantified at both the micro and macro levels. The proposed program seeks to progress these agendas in the areas of greatest future importance; in particular health systems, obesity and mental health.
The Fellowship has allowed an increased focus upon the development of survey and interview instruments for measuring social preferences and their inclusion in the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL) MAU instrument and the adaptation and validation of the AQoL.