Kustannustehokkuusmenetelmä

Kustannustehokkuusmenetelmä, often translated as cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), is an economic evaluation technique used to compare the costs and outcomes of different interventions or courses of action. It is particularly valuable in healthcare and public policy where resources are often limited and decisions must be made about the optimal allocation of these resources. The core principle of CEA is to measure the outcomes of interventions in natural units, such as years of life gained, cases cured, or reduction in a specific symptom, rather than in monetary terms.

The process of conducting a cost-effectiveness analysis involves identifying the relevant interventions, defining the perspective from which costs and outcomes will be assessed (e.g., societal, healthcare provider, patient), measuring all relevant costs associated with each intervention, and quantifying the health or other relevant outcomes. The results are typically expressed as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), which represents the additional cost per additional unit of outcome gained by choosing one intervention over another. For example, an ICER might be expressed as "€10,000 per life-year gained."

Decision-makers then use these ICERs, along with considerations of budget constraints and societal values, to inform their choices. A high ICER might suggest that an intervention is not a good use of resources, while a lower ICER might indicate a more efficient allocation. CEA helps to ensure that public funds are spent in ways that maximize health benefits or other desired outcomes for the population. It is a systematic approach to making evidence-based decisions in situations involving trade-offs between costs and benefits.