Economics for Healthcare Managers

Instructor Resources: Test bank, PowerPoint slides and a lesson plan for each chapter, answers to the study questions, guides to the case studies, and a transition guide to the new edition. Good management requires a fundamental understanding of economics. In the rapidly changing healthcare landscape, economics can provide a road map for managers looking to effectively navigate strategic, goal-oriented decisions while also improving population health outcomes. Economics for Healthcare Managers provides the practical guide that healthcare managers need to simplify and strengthen the decision-making process for everyday issues. Written for those with little or no background in economics, the book is designed to engage readers in today’s policy and management challenges. The author references classic studies while also drawing on current research and emphasizing contemporary analyses. As the purview of healthcare managers has expanded significantly, this edition has been updated to reflect their evolving role. Featuring 17 new case studies, the book incorporates recent changes in health policy and research, including new and revised content on: Realizing the Triple Aim Profits, market structure, and market powerRegulations of the Affordable Care Act Health insurance and the move toward value-based paymentsThe healthcare financing system and alternative payment mechanismsThe book and its companion materials combine multiple cases, class activities, and special features to engage students and facilitate active learning. These resources give students in the classroom the opportunity to tackle the kinds of challenging economic issues they can expect to face during their careers as healthcare managers.

Robert H. Lee, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management of the School of Medicine of the University of Kansas. He is currently the director of the department’s Master of Health Services Administration program. Previously he worked at the University of North Carolina, the Health Policy Program of the Urban Institute, and the Brookings Institution. He has published more than 40 healthcare economics articles.