Economic Information in Health Care Decision-making (WP1) 

Our focus  

What we do 

1. We collaborate with clinical practice guideline panels and integrate economic information into Current Care Guidelines (CCG). During 2022-2024, we have developed the method to integrate economic information to CCGs. We present comparable effectiveness and price or cost information separately and in one figure, cost per responder. We concentrate on mutually exclusive interventions that potentially have a real economic impact. Until now interventions have been mainly pharmaceuticals, but we compare also other interventions. In addition, we provided the groups with budget impact calculations and summaries of economic evaluation studies.

2. In 2024-26, we evaluate the impact of integrating economic information in clinical practice guidelines on the treatment mix, costs of care and ultimately, the health of patients and population.

3. During 2025-2026, we study the possibility to calculate a threshold value in Finland. Parallel to this empirical work we will also assess the usability and value in health care decision-making.

4. We aim to supplement the existing health economic theories on joint decision-making in health care organizations and in professional-patient relationships in collaboration with social psychologists.

Research group

Work Package Leaders:
Eila Kankaanpää
Research Director, University of Eastern Finland
eila.kankaanpaa@uef.fi

Jorma Komulainen
M.D., Docent, Editor-in-chief, Duodecim
jorma.komulainen@duodecim.fi

Researchers:

Raija Sipilä
M.D., Managing Editor, Duodecim
raija.sipilä@duodecim.fi

Juha Ahonen
M.D., Current Care Guidelines -editor (health economics), Duodecim
juha.ahonen@duodecim.fi

Jan Klavus
Senior Researcher, University of Eastern Finland
jan.klavus@uef.fi

Elisa Rissanen
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Eastern Finland
elisa.rissanen@uef.fi

Collaborator:
Vesa Kiviniemi
Head of Assesment, Fimea