EU research project Echoutcome starts off with CERGAS Bocconi

The objective of Echoutcome (European consortium in health care outcomes and cost-benefit research) is to provide a comparative analysis of the health systems of all EU countries.

CERGAS Bocconi, the University's research center on health care and social welfare, is one of the actors participating in the project, which is financed by the EU with €1 million and is part of the 7th Framework Program of the European Commission. In addition to CERGAS, the research consortium comprises: Université Libre de Bruxelles, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Société Française d'Economie de la Santé, and the companies Data Mining International, Cyklad Group, and Lyon Ingégnerie Projets.

The research will look at the scientific validity and relevance of the synthetic indicators utilize to measure and health performance and return on investment (cost-benefit rations). The relevant indicators are Quality-adjusted life years (Qaly), Disability-adjusted life years (Daly), and Health years equivalent (Hye). In the next phase of the research project, CERGAS will become research leader and propose policy recommendations on who to improve the design and application of such indicators. The study will be completed by the end of 2013.

"The focus of this research study is of strategic importance, given that current international debate on health care verges on the comparative measurement of health outcomes produced by various systems," explains Rosanna Tarricone, head of the project for Bocconi.