Dictionary

D

D-Efficient DesignConceptD-Efficiency Design, Determinant-Efficient Design

A D-efficient design is a discrete choice experiment design chosen for low D-error, giving precise preference estimates under an assumed model.

DALY Calculation MethodConceptDALY Computation, DALY Estimation Approach

The methodology used to compute disability-adjusted life years, combining years of life lost to premature death with years lived with disability, weighted by severity.

Data AccuracyTermRecording Accuracy, Data Correctness

The degree to which recorded data correctly reflect the true value of what they are meant to measure, free from measurement error.

Data AnalyticsConceptHealth Data Analysis, Analytic Methods

Data analytics is the use of statistical and computational methods on health data to describe what happened, predict outcomes and guide decisions.

Data Collection RequirementTermEvidence Generation Requirement, Data Requirement

A condition attached to a conditional reimbursement decision, mandating collection of additional real-world performance data within a defined timeframe.

Data CompletenessTermRecord Completeness, Data Coverage

The extent to which all intended data elements have actually been recorded, distinct from data accuracy, which concerns whether values are correct.

Data Envelopment AnalysisConceptDEA, Frontier Efficiency Method

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a linear programming method that scores hospitals and other health care units on technical efficiency against peers.

Data ExclusivityConceptRegulatory Data Protection, Data Protection Period

Data exclusivity is the period after a medicine's first approval in which generic or biosimilar applicants may not rely on the originator's trial data.

Data ExtractionConceptEvidence Extraction, Study Data Coding

Data extraction is the recording of study details and results on a structured form for use in a systematic review, meta-analysis or economic model.

Data GovernanceConceptData Stewardship, Information Governance

Data governance is the set of rules, roles and controls that decides who may access and use health data, for what purpose and under which safeguards.

Data MiningConceptKnowledge Discovery, Pattern Mining

Data mining is the computational search of large health datasets, such as claims or patient records, for patterns that were not specified in advance.

Data PoolingConceptStudy Pooling, Statistical Pooling

Data pooling is the statistical combining of results from several studies into one summary estimate, usually weighting each study by its precision.

Data QualityConceptData Fitness, Data Integrity

Data quality is the fitness of data for a specific use in health research or HTA, judged by completeness, accuracy, consistency, timeliness and relevance.

Data RelevanceTermData Applicability, Relevance to Question

The degree to which a dataset's population, exposures, and outcomes align with the specific research or decision question being addressed.

Data Safety Monitoring BoardConceptDSMB, Data Monitoring Committee

Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) is an independent committee that reviews unblinded interim trial data and advises whether to continue, change or stop.

Data SecurityConceptInformation Security, Health Data Protection, Digital Security, Digital Health Security, Cybersecurity Health

Data security is the set of technical, physical and administrative safeguards that keep health data confidential, unaltered and available when needed.

Data StandardTermData Specification, Interoperability Standard

A defined specification governing how health information should be structured, coded, and exchanged between different information systems.

Data TimelinessTermData Currency, Data Recency

The degree to which a dataset reflects current, rather than outdated, conditions, practices, or populations.

Data Use AgreementTermDUA, Data Sharing Agreement

A formal contract governing the terms under which a dataset, particularly one containing patient-level health information, may be accessed and shared.

Data VisualisationTermData Visualization, Information Graphics

In health economics and analytics, the graphical presentation of data to reveal patterns, relationships and uncertainty, such as plotting probabilistic sensitivity analysis results or quality-control trends.

Database SelectionTermData Source Selection, Database Choice

The process of choosing an appropriate data source for a research question, based on population coverage, available data elements, and sample size.

Day LimitTermDay Cap, Covered Days Cap

A cap on the number of days of a specific care type, such as inpatient stay, that an insurance plan will cover in a period.

Day OutlierTermLength-of-Stay Outlier, Long-Stay Outlier

A case whose actual length of stay substantially exceeds what standard diagnosis-related group payment would expect, triggering additional supplemental payment.

Day SurgeryTermDay-Case Surgery, Same-Day Procedure, Outpatient Surgery, Ambulatory Surgery

A surgical procedure performed on an outpatient basis, with the patient discharged home the same day rather than staying overnight.

Days Cash on HandTermDCOH, Cash Reserve Ratio

A financial ratio measuring how many days an organisation could cover its operating expenses using only available cash reserves, without extra revenue.

Days in Accounts ReceivableConceptDAR, AR Days

Days in accounts receivable (AR days) is a provider's net receivables divided by average daily net patient revenue, giving days of revenue still unpaid.

De-IdentificationConceptData Anonymisation Process, Identifier Removal

De-identification is the removal or alteration of identifiers in health data, such as names, exact dates and postcodes, to lower re-identification risk.

Deadweight LossConceptWelfare Loss, Excess Burden

Deadweight loss is the net loss of total surplus when a tax, subsidy, market power or insurance drives a wedge between price and marginal cost.

Death SpiralConceptAdverse-Selection Spiral, Premium Spiral

A death spiral is a cycle in which rising health insurance premiums drive lower-risk members out, raising the pool's average cost and the next premium.

Debt RatioTermDebt-to-Asset Ratio, Leverage Ratio

A financial ratio calculated as total liabilities divided by total assets, showing the proportion of assets financed through debt rather than equity.

DebuggingTermCode Error Correction, Model Fault Fixing

The process of identifying and correcting errors within a health economic model's underlying code or spreadsheet formulas.

DecentralizationConceptDecentralisation, Authority Devolution

Decentralization is the transfer of authority over health financing, purchasing or delivery from central government to regional, local or other bodies.

Decentralized SystemTermDevolved Health System, Regionalised System

A health system structure where significant decision-making authority is distributed to regional or local levels rather than concentrated nationally.

DecileTermTenth, Ten-Group Split

A descriptive statistic dividing a ranked dataset into ten equal-sized groups, the first decile being the bottom ten percent and the tenth the top.

DecisionConcept

A decision in health economics is a choice between alternative uses of health care resources, such as funding a technology, informed by evidence.

Decision AidConceptDecision Support Tool, Shared-Decision Tool

A decision aid is a tool that helps patients choose between treatment or screening options by setting out benefits and harms and clarifying their values.

Decision AlgorithmConceptDecision Rule Set, Appraisal Algorithm

A decision algorithm is a fixed sequence of explicit rules that turns evidence into a decision, such as an outcome-level HTA benefit grade or a test order.

Decision AnalysisTermDecision-Analytic Approach, Decision Modelling Framework

In health economics, a systematic quantitative approach to choosing among options under uncertainty by modelling their expected costs and consequences.

Decision CriteriaConceptAppraisal Criteria, Decision Factors

Decision criteria are the factors an HTA body weighs in a funding recommendation, such as clinical benefit, cost-effectiveness and severity.

Decision Curve AnalysisConceptDCA

Decision curve analysis (DCA) plots the net benefit of a prediction model or test across risk thresholds against treating all or no patients.

Decision Fatigue ConceptConceptDecision Fatigue, Choice Fatigue

The decision fatigue concept holds that decision quality falls after a long run of choices, as when clinicians treat patients differently late in a shift.

Decision MakingConceptHealth Care Decision Making

Decision making in health care is the process by which payers, HTA bodies and clinicians choose between options using evidence, costs, criteria and values.

Decision NodeConceptChoice Node, Decision Point

A decision node is a point in a decision tree, drawn as a square, where the decision maker chooses between options and no probabilities are attached.

Decision ProblemConcept

A decision problem is the choice an economic evaluation or model must inform, stated as population, options compared, outcomes, costs and decision maker.

Decision Relevance PeriodTermDecision Validity Period, Relevance Horizon

The length of time a technology assessment decision is expected to remain applicable before newer evidence or treatments supersede it.

Decision RuleConceptChoice Rule, Explicit Decision Criterion

A decision rule is an explicit criterion, such as an ICER threshold or net benefit, for choosing between healthcare interventions in economic evaluation.

Decision SupportConceptDSS

Decision support is software or a structured tool that gives clinicians or patients relevant evidence when a health care choice is being made.

Decision TreeConceptTree Model, Branching Decision Model

A decision tree is a branching model used in economic evaluation: strategies, chance events and end points give each option's expected costs and QALYs.

Decision Tree ModelConceptTree-Based Model, Branch Model

A decision-analytic model built on the decision tree structure, with all possible patient pathways explicitly represented as branches to calculate expected cost.

Decision UncertaintyConceptDecision Risk, Probability of Wrong Decision

Decision uncertainty is the probability that the option preferred on current evidence is not the best, given uncertainty in costs and health effects.