HEALTH ECONOMICS SPECIALIST

State of careers Rhode Island•Providence, RI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for developing the health economics components of the Preliminary State Health System Plan and Annual Implementation Plan. It involves producing advisories on the fiscal implications of applications for certificates of need and Public Health Service Funds. The role also provides technical assistance to organizations implementing State Health System Plan recommendations and offers staff support to the Statewide Health Coordinating Council. The Health Economics Specialist will describe the economic structure, characteristics, and trends of the health care system, analyze the equity, dynamic efficiency, and static efficiency of health programs, and determine major economic problems confronting the health sector. Responsibilities include analyzing and estimating economic costs and consequences of health status and service problems, analyzing current and proposed health programs using net present effectiveness analysis, examining the current allocation of health care resources and recommending changes, and analyzing health insurance coverage and programs in the state. The role integrates health economics into all phases of health system planning, establishing goals and targets for resolving health economic problems, and developing strategies and tactics for intervention. Recommendations will be made on the allocation of existing funds for problems and services on a priority basis. The specialist will consult with division chiefs in the Department of Health to assist with program evaluations, plan formulation, and suggest improvements. This position provides staff support to the Health Services Council, preparing advisory reports on Certificate of Need (CON), Change in Effective Control (CEC), and Initial Licensure (IL) applications, preparing meeting minutes, conducting application analyses, and drafting letters regarding application acceptability. It also evaluates applications and prepares recommendations for the Director of Health on hospital conversions, equipment replacements, reverse CONs, and change orders. The role involves reviewing application submissions for completeness and compliance, assisting applicants through conference calls and correspondence, assessing public need and affordability of capital expenditures, reviewing changes in ownership and control of facilities, drafting deficiency notices, and attending Health Services Council meetings. Additionally, the position assists with coordinating administrative, regulatory, and policy matters, collecting public comments, reviewing data accuracy, assisting with data collection for the Statewide Health Inventory Program, compiling public documents for records requests, and performing other assigned duties.

Requirements

A thorough knowledge of economics.
Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of health system planning.
A working knowledge of health research methodology and purposes.
The ability to apply such methods and techniques in determining, evaluating and documenting problems of inequity of inefficiency in the allocation of health resources in the state.
A working knowledge of fiscal planning and budgetary controls as they relate to the methods of financing health facilities, services, and programs.
A familiarity with the principles, methods and techniques of health statistics.
The ability to apply such knowledge in collecting, compiling, analyzing, evaluating and presenting statistical information on the benefits and costs of new or existing health programs.
The ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with department officials, professional people, voluntary health and welfare agencies, community representatives, other state and local agencies and the public.
Possession of a Master’s Degree in Economics with a concentration of coursework in Health Economics or a Master's Degree in Public Health with extensive graduate level coursework in Economics.
Employment in a responsible position in a public or private agency involving applications of economics to health system planning; or, employment as a health economist in a research or consultative position in the field of public health.
Any combination of education and experience that shall be substantially equivalent to the above education and experience.

Responsibilities

Developing the health economics components of the Preliminary State Health System Plan and Annual Implementation Plan.
Producing advisories on the fiscal implications of applications for certificates of need.
Producing advisories on the fiscal implications of applications for Public Health Service Funds.
Providing technical assistance to organizations proposing to implement recommendations of the State Health System Plan.
Providing staff support to the Statewide Health Coordinating Council.
Describing the economic structure, characteristics and trends of the health care system.
Analyzing the equity, dynamic efficiency, and static efficiency characteristics of health programs in the state.
Determining the major economic problems confronting the health sector.
Analyzing and estimating the economic costs and consequences of health status and health service problems.
Analyzing current and proposed health programs by net present effectiveness analysis.
Analyzing the current allocation of resources devoted to health care and recommend appropriate changes.
Examining the costs of providing health care to Rhode Islanders and recommend ways to increase the cost effectiveness of the services provided.
Analyzing health insurance coverage and programs in the state.
Integrating health economics into all phases of the health system planning process.
Recommending the manner in which existing funds should be allocated for the various problems and services on a priority basis for community and state needs.
Consulting with the various division chiefs in the Department of Health to assist them in their evaluations of the equity and efficiency of existing programs, the formulation of plans for developing health programs, and to suggest possible program improvements.
Preparing advisory reports for Council consideration on CON, CEC, and IL applications.
Preparing minutes of Health Services Council meetings.
Conducting analyses of applications.
Drafting letters regarding the acceptability of applications for processing.
Evaluating applications and preparing recommendations for the Director of Health on hospital conversions, one-for-one equipment replacements, reverse CONs, and change orders to previously approved applications.
Assisting in the review of application submissions for CON, IL, CEC, etc. for completeness and consistent with applicable provisions of the Rhode Island General Laws.
Assisting applicants, participating in conference calls with applicants and staff, email correspondence, etc.
Assessing public need for and affordability of major capital expenditures proposed by licensed health care facilities.
Reviewing proposed changes in the ownership and control of licensed health care facilities.
Drafting deficiencies identifying areas of incompleteness of the application submission reviews.
Providing staff support to the Health Services Council, which conducts Certificate of Need reviews and certain health facilities’ licensure review to prepare formal recommendations to the Director of Health.
Attending Health Services Council meetings.
Developing meeting minutes and reports.
Assisting in the coordination of administrative, regulatory, and policy matters including health facilities licensure, health planning, and data operations.
Participating in the collection of public comments, assisting in the review and assessment of the accuracy and validity of data and reports prepared by staff and other organizations, and sharing with the Health Services Council and related interested parties.
Assisting with data collection and analysis for the Statewide Health Inventory Program.
Assisting with compiling public documents and information for access to public records requests.
Assisting in other duties as may be assigned.