Summer school: Bayesian methods in health economics.
Date: 24-28 July 2023.
Venue: Centro Studi CISL, Florence (Italy).

COURSE ORGANISERS: Gianluca Baio (UCL, UK), Anna Heath (Sick Kids Hospital, Toronto, Canada), Howard Thom (University of Bristol, UK), Nathan Green (UCL, UK).

OVERVIEW:
This summer school aims at providing an introduction to Bayesian analysis and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods using R and MCMC sampling software (such as OpenBUGS and JAGS), as applied to cost-effectiveness analysis and typical models used in health economic evaluations. We will also focus on more recent methods for Probabilistic Sensitivity Analysis and research prioritisation, including Value of Information calculations. The summer school is intended for health economists, statisticians, and decision modellers interested in the practice of Bayesian modelling and will be based on a mixture of lectures and computer practicals. The emphasis will be on examples of applied analysis: software and code to carry out the analyses will be provided and presented/discussed in details.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops for the practicals. We shall assume a basic knowledge of standard methods in health economics and some familiarity with a range of probability distributions, regression analysis, Markov models and random-effects meta-analysis. However, statistical concepts are reviewed in the context of applied health economic evaluations in the lectures. We shall also assume at least basic familiarity with R, although, once again, we shall have a specific focus on the practicals and explain in details the practice of (Bayesian) modelling for health technology assessment. Lectures and practicals are based on the following textbooks: Bayesian Methods in Health Economics, Bayesian Cost-Effectiveness Analysis with the R package BCEA, The BUGS Book and Evidence Synthesis for Decision Making in Healthcare.

The summer school is hosted in the beautiful complex of the Centro Studi Cisl, overlooking and a short distance from Florence (Italy). The registration fees include full board accommodation in the Centro Studi. There are 20 places, which will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. More information can be found at the summer school webpage. Registration is now open (until 15 June 2023) and available from the UCL Online Store. For more details or enquiries, email Professor Gianluca Baio.

Info: https://gianluca.statistica.it/teaching/summer-school/

Gianluca Baio 
Professor of Statistics and Health Economics | Head of Department
Department of Statistical Science | University College London
1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
Twitter: @stats_ucl | Instagram: @stats_UCL
Telephone: +44(0)20 7679 1248 (internal: 41248)
Website: http://www.homepages.ucl.ac.uk/~ucakgba
Blog: https://gianluca.statistica.it/blog/
Book a meeting with me: https://book.morgen.so/gianlucabaio/book-me