What is health economics?

Health Economics explores how we allocate resources to improve health and deliver care efficiently, equitably, and sustainably.  

It helps decision-makers answer critical questions: What works? For whom? At what cost? 

Why does OHE prioritise advancing health economics education? 

We believe that better health policy starts with better understanding. Health Economics is essential for tackling today’s biggest health system challenges — from managing costs and improving access to evaluating the real-world value of interventions. By advancing education in this field, we aim to build stronger, more informed health systems around the world.

Our educational priorities 

• Educational programmes 
  From foundational training to advanced technical workshops, we offer learning opportunities for students, researchers, policymakers, and professionals seeking to deepen their expertise. 
  

• Resources 
  Access a growing library of open-access articles, guides, tools, and explainer videos — designed to make complex ideas in Health Economics clear and actionable. 

Who do we support?

Discover Economics partnership

Discover Economics is an educational initiative sponsored by the Royal Economic Society that aims to inspire and inform students about the study of economics and its relevance to real-world issues. The platform offers accessible resources, including articles, videos, and economist profiles, to highlight the diversity of people, perspectives, and career paths within the field. It is designed to support teachers, students, and anyone considering studying economics at university. 

As part of its mission to broaden engagement, Discover Economics has partnered with the Office of Health Economics (OHE) to raise awareness of health economics among students and educators. OHE has contributed introductory lecture content on key health economics topics, now available through the Discover Economics platform. This collaboration supports efforts to showcase health economics as a dynamic and socially impactful area of the discipline, and to encourage more diverse participation in economics more broadly. 

Timeline of health economics

In 2022, we celebrated our 60th anniversary, here are some of the highlights of those first 60 years…