Author: Avalon Health Economics LLC

There was a time when we did not spend a lot of time worrying about the quality of the health care services we received. Our families went to the doctor who was known as a “good doctor” and we received treatment in the nearby hospital known as a “good hospital.” An endorsement or two from...

As a follow-up to our previous blog (October 2014), we are revisiting the topic of Ebola because this public health crisis has drawn attention to two very important public health issues: (1) the ever-present global danger of infectious diseases, and (2) the critical role of the public health and health system infrastructures in preventing and...

The recent Ebola epidemic in Africa has served as a reminder of the vulnerability of public health systems in handling unexpected health problems, especially when basic access to care and day-to-day health problems remain a challenge. Unlike its northern counterpart, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continues to experience a disproportionate burden of disease, influenced by the intersection...

John Rizzo, PhD, joins Avalon Health Economics as a Consultant. In addition to his role as Consultant with Avalon Health Economics, Dr. Rizzo is Professor of Economics and Preventive Medicine at Stony Brook University (NY) and Chief Economist at the Long Island Association. His research interests include applied economic studies of health care markets and...

CEO John Schneider presented at Nordic Life Science Days in Stockholm, Sweden on the Economic Evaluation of pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics. Nordic Life Science Days attracts leading decision makers from the Life Science sector, not only from biotech, pharma and medtech but also from finances, research, policy and regulatory authorities. Click here to...

For over 50 years, the food industry has used Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) food service products for a variety of food and beverage service needs. EPS, commonly known as Styrofoam, is cheap and durable, so it seems ideal for takeout food or your hot cup of to-go coffee. But you might want to rethink drinking your...

Ivana Stojanovic, MA, has joined Avalon Health Economics as a Health Economist. Ivana has several years of experience in economics consulting, and has expertise in conducting data analysis and research for litigation support. Her quantitative skills include SAS, SQL, STATA, and Basic VBA. Click here for Ivana’s full biosketch.

Over the past 50 years, 95% of the country’s state psychiatric hospital population have been closed down, leaving fewer than 200 hospitals to provide care to those living with mental illnesses (Fisher et al. 2009). Between 2009 and 2011 alone, states cumulatively cut more than $1.8 billion from their budgets for services for children and...

After suffering from a nasty cold for more than a few days, many of us think about checking in with our doctor just to be sure that it’s not something worse. The result on those visits is, all too often, a simple confirmation of what you already knew: you have a cold. You’ll get better....

Recent healthcare reforms in the U.S. and abroad have emphasized the value of meaningful and effective preventative care and health promotion. Corporations are taking note, and, as a result, there has been a significant rise in the number of corporate wellness programs popping up. Under recent healthcare legislation in the U.S., there are tax incentives...