Overview 

On this short course for health and healthcare managers, you’ll learn how to measure health outcomes against the cost of delivery using an evidence-based approach. This will help you create meaningful change for your patients.

Managing the increasing pressures on healthcare systems, while delivering value, is an issue of increasing concern to health managers. Despite this, value-based healthcare is a concept that is widely misunderstood and poorly applied.

Value-based healthcare is a framework focused on creating value for patients. It identifies value by reducing costs while driving improved health outcomes for patients. Rooted in evidence, it measures health outcomes against the cost of delivering them. Ultimately, it prevents investment in areas that will not generate value for patients, saving healthcare organisations money.

This six-week online course will give you an in-depth understanding of value-based healthcare, value-based payments and decision science. It will equip you with highly practical skills that you can apply directly in your workplace.

The course aims to provoke discussion and make you think about your own healthcare organisation. You'll have opportunities to ask questions, share thoughts and seek insights from both the instructors and your peers.

Course aims

The aim of this course is to provide you with:

• knowledge of the practical issues faced when making commissioning, adoption and implementation decisions in the health and care system
• the skills to make informed decisions that are sustainable and value maximising

Who this course is for 

This course is for leaders across the health and healthcare sector.

This could include, but is not limited to:

• finance professionals
• clinical staff
• policymakers
• healthcare managers

It's also open to those from industries related to health who are at a level in their organisation where advancing their understanding of value-based healthcare would be of value.

Course content

The course includes three modules: 

1. The challenge of value-based healthcare

This module provides an introduction to value-based healthcare and evaluates historic and current health assessment techniques in the UK and other health systems.

You'll look in more depth at where the NHS is currently in terms of a value-based approach, and learn about the issues facing commissioners and decision makers.

2. Value-based payment systems

Focusing on the practicalities of value-based healthcare, this module looks in more detail at value-based payments. This includes:

• value-based pricing
• reimbursement models
• outcome-based payments
• pricing innovations to get market access

3. Decision science for value-based healthcare

Decision science affects how value-based healthcare can be achieved within healthcare settings. This module explores decision science in more depth. Topics include:

• how choices are made
• evidence
• individual and population-based decisions
• understanding behaviour
• behavioural change

Teaching and structure 

You'll study each of the 3 modules over two weeks, spending approximately 10 to 12 hours on various activities including:

• watching live online lectures and pre-recorded videos
• reading
• taking part in discussion forum activities
• completing marked project assignments

There'll be a weekly online live session with the course lead that all students may attend.

Assessment, certificates and accreditation

You'll receive a certificate of completion and CPD points awarded by The CPD Certification Service when you've completed all the marked assignments for each of the three modules. These include mandatory discussion forums, short written assignments and a final project.

You'll also be able to assess how you're doing throughout the course by completing multiple choice quizzes and unmarked self-reflection exercises.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• evaluate and appreciate the current landscape in value-based healthcare, as well as tools and techniques available for decision making in healthcare
• apply value-based healthcare thinking to decision making
• analyse the practical issues involved in making commissioning, adoption and implementation decisions in the health and healthcare system
• make informed decisions that are sustainable and value maximising
• critically assess value assessment and value-based healthcare
• understand the role decision science can make on implementing value-based healthcare

Entry requirements 

You must be fluent in English.

We recommended you have a degree or interest in interest in value-based healthcare.

Cost and concessions

The standard fee for this course is £1,800.

If you work for the NHS or in a ministry health role, you may be eligible for a 20% discount. Please contact us at shortcoursesgbsh@ucl.ac.uk to see if this reduction applies to you.

Course team

Rachael Maree Hunter

Rachel provides advice and support on the health economics component of clinical trials to UCL departments, Priment Clinical Trials Unit, and the UCL hub of the London Research Design Service. She's conducted cost-effectiveness analyses for the Department of Health and NHS and has worked for the NHS on improving and monitoring the quality of mental health services.

Caroline Clarke

Caroline is a UCL Senior Research Associate in Health Economics. She leads the design, planning, analysis and reporting of the health economic evaluation aspect of studies run by groups at UCL and elsewhere. She works on trials and programme grants funded by NIHR and other bodies across a variety of disease and therapy areas, specialising in complex interventions, primary care, mental health, and cancer. This includes work on service delivery and reconfiguration, and assessment of new surgical and diagnostic methods.

Course information last modified: 30 Nov 2022, 16:01