Dictionary
The Dictionary provides concise definitions of health economics terms, arranged alphabetically for quick reference. Use it to understand unfamiliar terminology or confirm the meaning of a specific term.
A
- Anxiety SymptomsAnxiety Scale, Anxiety Symptom Measure
- A clinical outcome measure capturing the presence and severity of anxiety-related symptoms, commonly assessed using standardised, validated patient questionnaires.
B
- Biochemical ResponseBiochemical Marker Response, Laboratory Response
- A clinical outcome measure indicating a change in a laboratory-measured biochemical marker, such as a hormone or enzyme level, following treatment.
C
- Cardiac ResponseCardiac Functional Response, Ejection Fraction Response
- A clinical outcome measure indicating a change in cardiac function or structure, such as ejection fraction, used to assess cardiovascular treatment effect.
- Clinical Effectiveness ResearchReal-World Effectiveness Research, Clinical Outcomes Research
- Effectiveness research focused on clinical outcomes, such as symptom control or disease progression, observed under routine practice conditions.
- Clinical EndpointClinical Outcome Endpoint, Trial Endpoint
- A specific, predefined outcome measure used to assess treatment effect in a trial, ranging from survival to a surrogate biomarker.
- Clinical Equity AnalysisClinical Disparity Analysis, Treatment Equity Analysis
- An equity analysis focused on disparities in clinical outcomes or access to specific treatments across patient populations.
- Clinical Impact AnalysisClinical Outcome Impact Analysis, Outcome Impact Assessment
- An impact analysis focused on a programme's effect on clinical outcomes, such as disease incidence or mortality, rather than broader measures.
- Clinical OutcomeTreatment Outcome, Clinical Result
- A measurement of how a patient feels, functions, or survives following an intervention, ranging from biomarker changes to overall survival.
- Clinical Outcome AssessmentCOA, Outcome Assessment
- A general term for any measure of how a patient feels, functions, or survives, including patient, clinician, and observer-reported outcomes.
- Clinician-Reported OutcomeClinRO, Observer Clinical Outcome
- A clinical outcome based on a trained professional's observation or interpretation of a patient's signs or condition, unlike a patient-reported outcome.
- Cognitive FunctionCognition, Mental Function
- A clinical outcome domain capturing mental processes, including memory, attention, and executive function, commonly measured using standardised neuropsychological tools.
- Cognitive FunctioningCognitive Capacity, Cognitive Ability
- A clinical outcome domain describing mental capacities, including memory, concentration, and problem-solving, typically assessed using standardised tests or questionnaires.
- Convenience Outcome
- A clinical outcome measure capturing the ease or burden of a treatment's administration, such as dosing frequency, distinct from its clinical efficacy.
D
- Depression Symptoms
- A clinical outcome measure capturing the presence and severity of depression-related symptoms, commonly assessed using standardised, validated patient questionnaires.
- Distress
- A clinical outcome measure capturing overall emotional suffering or discomfort, often assessed as broader than specific anxiety or depression symptoms alone.
E
- Economic Data Health
- Data specifically capturing the costs, resource use, and financial aspects of healthcare delivery, distinct from clinical outcome data.
- Effectiveness Outcome
- A clinical outcome measured under real-world, routine practice conditions, reflecting how a treatment performs across a diverse patient population.
- Efficacy Outcome
- A clinical outcome measured under the controlled, often idealised conditions of a trial, representing the maximum potential benefit achievable.
- Energy Level
- A clinical outcome measure capturing a patient's perceived vitality, often assessed as a subdomain within broader quality of life or fatigue instruments.
- Extrapolation
- The process of projecting a clinical outcome, such as survival, beyond a trial's observed follow-up period, typically using a fitted parametric model.
F
- Fatigue
- A clinical outcome measure capturing a patient's subjective tiredness or lack of energy, commonly assessed using standardised, validated fatigue-specific instruments.
- Final Outcome
- A clinical outcome measure directly reflecting a patient's health status or survival, such as death, unlike a surrogate or intermediate outcome.
I
- Imaging Outcome
- A clinical outcome measure based on findings from radiological imaging, such as tumour size on a scan, assessing disease status or response.
- Integrated Value Measurement
- A value measurement combining clinical outcomes, patient-reported experience, and cost data into a single assessment rather than treating each separately.
L
- Laboratory Outcome
- A clinical outcome derived from laboratory testing of blood, urine, or other biological samples, assessing physiological status or treatment response.
- Loss of Response
- A clinical outcome indicating a patient who previously achieved a favourable response later experiences a return of disease activity or decline in response.
N
- Neurological Response
- A biomarker or clinical outcome measure indicating a change in neurological function or structure, such as improved neurological examination or imaging findings.
O
- Observer-Reported Outcome
- A clinical outcome reported by someone other than the patient or a clinician, such as a carer of a patient who cannot self-report.
- Outcome-Based Pricing
- A pricing arrangement in which some or all payment for a treatment depends on it achieving predefined clinical outcomes in actual practice.
- Outcome-Based Rebate
- A manufacturer rebate paid or withheld depending on whether a treatment achieves a predefined clinical outcome for the patients who received it.
- Outcomes-Based Contract
- A formal agreement in which some or all of a treatment's payment is contingent on it achieving predefined clinical outcomes in practice.
- Outcomes-Based Payment
- A reimbursement arrangement in which some or all of a manufacturer's payment depends on the treatment achieving a predefined clinical outcome in actual practice.
P
- Performance Outcome
- A clinical outcome based on a standardised task performed by a patient, such as a timed walk test, unlike a self-reported measure.
- Predictive Analytics Health
- The specific application of predictive analytics to healthcare data, forecasting clinical outcomes and identifying high-risk patients for proactive care management.
S
- Safety Outcome
- A clinical outcome measure assessing the occurrence, severity, and nature of adverse effects associated with a treatment.
- Sleep Quality
- A clinical outcome measure capturing a person's subjective assessment of their sleep, including duration, latency, and disturbances, using a validated questionnaire.
- Symptomatic Outcome
- Any clinical outcome measure focused on the presence, frequency, or severity of disease-related symptoms, unlike survival, biomarker, or functional outcomes.
T
- Therapeutic Goal
- The specific clinical outcome a treatment strategy is intended to achieve, such as cure, symptom control, stabilisation, or preventing complications.
- Treatment Failure
- A clinical outcome indicating a treatment did not achieve its intended goal, whether shown by lack of improvement, disease progression, or a therapy switch.
- Treatment Goal
- The specific clinical outcome a treatment strategy is designed to achieve, ranging from cure to symptom management to preventing complications.