Abstract
Economics is about making choices when resources are limited. Health economics applies economic theory to the specialized area of health care and provides, amongst other things, a set of tools to weigh the cost and consequences of alternative courses of action. This focus on cost and consequences is critical, health economics does not focus solely on cost, instead it is the impact an investment has on patient outcomes compared to the alternative/s. Understanding the difference between the tools that are available in the health economics tool box and using them appropriately to answer a specifically and carefully developed research question is a critical first step. The overall aim of investigating the cost and consequences of alternatives is to provide evidence to decision makers that investment in a particular alternative is a good one. Providing evidence of the value of investment in a teledermatology alternative is essential information to justify and foster the uptake of new and innovative ways to provide dermatological services.
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Bensink, M.E., Scuffham, P.A., Smith, A.C. (2012). Health Economics. In: Soyer, H., Binder, M., Smith, A., Wurm, E. (eds) Telemedicine in Dermatology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20801-0_19
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