Epidemiology
Epidemiology Branch's core business is to monitor the health status of the Northern Territory by collecting population level information. Generally Epidemiology investigates the spread of diseases based on the collection of population level statistics. Data analysed includes mortality, cancer and perinatal information. For information on communicable diseases please refer to the Centre for Disease Control.
Statistics regarding service provision information can also be found through the Strategic Review and Information Management Systems Unit.
Health Economics
Health Economics (HEC) supports DHCS management in informed decision making and in strategic management of the health sector in the Territory. It applies the principles of economics and management to:
- provide management decision support analysis for informed decision making
- assist in analysis of cost effective and efficient health intervention policies and strategies
- support in analysing and formulating the evidence base for intervention projects
- carry-out economic and financial analysis and facilitate in decision support
- support programs in forecasting the demand for and supply of health services and funding
- assist in resource allocation and strategic investment in health and health care and
- evaluate the economic impacts of various health interventions.
Health Economics plays an important advisory role in health planning and management in the Territory that includes:
- To assist the DHCS Management and the Program Development Steering Committee (PDSC) in evaluation and development of health sector policies, programs and projects;
- Developing decision support models to assist the management in informed and well founded management decisions;
- Strategic investment planning and resource allocation;
- Forecasting demand for and supply of health and community services;
- Health gain plans formulation, monitoring and evaluation;
- Providing advice on equitable and efficient health financing arrangement;
- Costing of health services and technology assessment;
- Cost-benefit, cost effectiveness and cost utilisation analysis;
- evaluating the cost effectiveness of health interventions to improve the health of all;
- evaluating the economy wide or health system-level issues such as the balance between public and private sector financing and service delivery;
- policy advice on micro-economic reform of the health system;
- Assisting in development of medium to longer term strategic health policy directions;
- Evaluation of health system reform options and alternative models of health financing;
- Economic and financial analysis and assisting the management in strategic decisions;
- analysing strategic policy issues relating to the funders, purchasers and providers and issues around competition and privatisation policy;
- evaluating market failure in the health care market and recommending appropriate intervention; and
- economic and statistical analysis of health service delivery and health outcomes; and
- an illustrative list of projects / works by HEC:
- Best Investment Health Gains Projects: Strategic Investment Modeling and Planning
- Health Gains Planning
- Cost Effectiveness of Fluoridation of Water Supply in Nguiu (Tiwi Islands)
- National Diabetes Study, using HBG/HRG Framework.
- Economic Analysis of Impacts of Coordinated Care Trials (CCT) on Hospital Funding in NT
- Economic Evaluation of Investment in Information System for the Proposed Primary Care Information System (PCIS)
- National Public Health Expenditure Collection and Analysis
- ATSI Expenditure Collection
- Evaluation of Mental Health Reform & Incentive Projects
- Forecasting the Demand for Public Hospital Services in NT: An ARIMA Forecasting Model
- Econometric Analysis of Probability of Continuing Funding under CCT Arrangement
- Analysis of Missing Millions under the MBS and PBS in NT.
- Development of HBG/HRG classification
- Hospital Funding Models (Generations 1 and 2)
- Projection of Hospital Services 1998
- Costing Model of Hospital In-patient Services National Diabetes Study, using HBG/HRG framework.
- Health Care Costs of Renal Dialysis Patients in the NT (1996-1998)
- Developing an Information Framework of Child Health Wellbeing Based on HBG/HRG Model.
- Preventable Chronic Disease - Costing Study Part. Please see the report of PCDS 2000
Hospital Costing Study, 1997-98
