With the renewal of the HU CFAR in 2019, the activities of the Program in Epidemiology and Outcomes Research were transitioned into a new Program in Health Economics and Modeling (PHEM).
PHEM retains the previous Program’s strong emphasis on mentoring and development of early career investigators, and further allows the HU CFAR to respond to the growing demand for economic analysis in HIV medicine and its related co-morbidities. It also builds on the exceptional and internationally recognized strength of the HU CFAR in this area of research.
The goals of the Program in Health Economics and Modeling are to: 1) Support and facilitate the expansion of simulation modeling and cost-effectiveness analysis within the HU CFAR, as well as in collaboration with other CFARs; 2) Expand CFAR economic evaluation efforts in novel areas including in Value of Information and other clinical trial-related analyses; 3) Mentor and develop Early-Stage Investigators in health economics and modeling, and 4) Participate in Research-in-Progress meetings across the CFAR, as well as serve as mentors and collaborators to conduct cost-effectiveness analyses.
A team of CFAR investigators with expertise in modeling and cost-effectiveness analysis support these efforts. PHEM Program Director Andrea Ciaranello MD MPH, Associate Director Kenneth Freedberg MD MSc, and affiliated investigators provide formal consultation to CFAR investigators interested in modeling or cost-effectiveness analysis projects. They review the project proposals to assess whether each is suitable for modeling, provide broad feedback on methods and approaches, and suggest other approaches if more appropriate.
For investigators interested in conducting formal model-based analyses, the Program provides connections to modelers and cost-effectiveness analysts who might be suitable as collaborators or to mentor the primary investigators to learn these methods and conduct their own analyses. The team also offers pre-review for Scholar Awards involving modeling, cost-effectiveness, and health economic evaluations.