title: Cost-effectiveness analysis: an introductory guide for clinicians.
abstract: Economic analyses are becoming increasingly prevalent in the obstetrics and gynecology literature, and it is essential that clinicians have a basic comprehension of this research methodology. The purpose of this article is to provide an introduction to economic analysis, in particular cost-effectiveness analysis, and to summarize the basic principles and recently proposed standards for studies using these analytic methods. The fundamental principle of economic analysis is that choices will have to be made between alternative use of resources because there are not unlimited resources to provide all the medical care possible to each individual. These analyses can illustrate the tradeoffs involved in choosing among a variety of clinical interventions to improve health care, and ultimately inform decision making. With a basic understanding of the key concepts of economic analyses, clinicians and health service researchers will be better prepared to critically review these analyses and incorporate them into daily practice.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  After completion of this article, the reader will be able to provide an introduction to economic analysis and to summarize the various types of economic analyses, to understand the principle assumption of each analysis and their limitations and to be aware of the various principles of conducting cost-effective analyses.
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA. gmacones@cceb.med.upenn.edu
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Macones
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Goldie
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Peipert
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000191:economics*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000191:economics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014481:United States