Dr Hossein Afzali

  • Biography/ Background

    I am a Senior Research Fellow (health economics) with expertise in the economic evaluation of health technologies with a focus on the application of decision analytic modelling techniques. I am also a medical doctor (MD) and received my medical degree from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. I am a member of the Evaluation Sub-Committee (ESC) of the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) whose role is to advise the Australian government on evidence relating to the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of new medical technologies and procedures. In addition, I am involved in a number of research projects aiming to improve the decision making process around the funding of health technologies. Previously I was an evaluator of submissions to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) to determine funding of medicines. I also co-lead the Adelaide Health Economics Research Group with expertise in all components of the economic evaluation of health care interventions.

  • Qualifications

    2004-2007       PhD (Health Economics) (The University of Adelaide)

    2003-2004       Graduate Diploma in Public Health

    1987-1994       Medicine (MD)                                         

  • Teaching Interests

    Economic evaluation in health care

    Decision analytic models

     

    Course co-ordinatror: PUB HLTH 7081 Health Economics

    Course co-ordinator: Health economics for third-year medical students as part of Medical, Personal and Professional Development (MPPD)

     

    I also teach on two other postgraduate courses: Health Technology Assessment (PUB_HLTH_7147HO), Health Economic Evaluation and Decision Making (PUB_HLTH_7082)

     

  • Research Interests

    Economic evaluation of health technologies

    Decision analytic modelling for health economic evaluation

    Improving public funding decision processes

     

  • Publications

    Recent publications (Since 2013)

    Invited book chapter

    Haji Ali Afzali H, Karnon J. Specification and implementation of decision analytic model structures for the economic evaluation of health care technologies. In: Culyer AJ. (ed).  Encyclopaedia of Health Economics. 1st ed. London: Elsevier; 2014. p. 340-347. 

    Journal articles 

    Edney L, Haji Ali Afzali H, Cheng T, Karnon J. Mortality reductions from marginal increases in public spending on health. Health Policy (In press)

    Edney L, Haji Ali Afzali H. The political economy of the assessment of the value of new health technologies. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy (In press)

    Edney L, Haji Ali Afzali H, Cheng T, Karnon J. Estimating the reference ICER for the Australian health system. PharmacoEconomics (In press)

    Karnon J, Haji Ali Afzali H. Predictive validation and the re-analysis of cost-effectiveness: Do we dare to tread? PharmacoEconomics 2017; 35:1111-1112.

    Wang B, Chen G, Ratcliffe J, Haji Ali Afzali H, Giles L, Marshal H. Adolescent values for immunisation programs in Australia: A discrete choice experiment. PLOS ONE 2017; 12: e0181073.

    Karnon J, Haji Ali Afzali H, Anggoro Putro G, et al. A cost-effectiveness model for frail older persons: Development and application to a physiotherapy-based intervention. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy 2017; 15:635-645.

    Gray J, Hoon E, Haji Ali Afzali1 H, Spooner C, Harris M, Karnon J. Is the Counterweight Program a feasible and acceptable option for structured weight management delivered by practice nurses in Australia? A mixed methods study. Australian Journal of Primary Health 2017; 23:348-363. Carter D, Vogan A. Haji Ali Afzali H. Governments need better guidance to maximise value for money: the case of Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy (In press).

    Wang B, Lynne G, Haji Ali Afzali H, Clarke M, Ratcliffe J, Chen G, Marshall H.  Adolescent confidence in immunisation: Assessing and comparing attitudes of adolescents and adults. Vaccine 2016; 34:5595-5603.

     

    Haji Ali Afzali H, Karnon J, Sculpher M. Should the lambda (λ) remain silent? PharmacoEconomics (DOI 10.1007/s40273-015-0359-7).

    Frederix GW, Haji Ali Afzali H, Dasbach E, Ward R. Development and use of disease-specific (reference) models for economic evaluations of health technologies: An overview of key issues and potential solutions. Pharmacoeconomics 2015; 33:777-781.

    Haji Ali Afzali H, Karnon J. Exploring structural uncertainty in model-based economic evaluations. Pharmacoeconomics 2015; 33: 435-443.

    Wang B, Haji Ali Afzali H, Marshall H. The inpatient costs and hospital service use associated with invasive meningococcal disease in South Australian children. Vaccine 2014; 32: 4791-4798.

    Haji Ali Afzali H, Karnon J, Beilby J, Gray J, Holton C, Banham D. Practice nurse involvement in general practice clinical care: Policy and funding issues need resolution. Australian Health Review 2014; 38:301-305.   

    Karnon J, Haji Ali Afzali H. When to use discrete event simulation (DES) for the economic evaluation of health technologies? A review and critique of the costs and benefits of DES. Pharmacoeconomics 2014; 32: 547-558. 

    Wang B, Clarke M, Haji Ali Afzali H, Marshal H. Community, parental and adolescent awareness and knowledge of meningococcal disease. Vaccine 2014; 32: 2042-2049.

    Wang B, Clarke M, Thomas N, Howell S, Haji Ali Afzali H, Marshal H. The clinical burden and predictors of sequelae following invasive meningococcal disease in Australian children. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 2014; 33: 316-318. 

    Gray J, Haji Ali Afzali H, Beilby J, Holton C, Banham D, Karnon J. Practice nurse involvement in primary care depression management: an observational cost-effectiveness analysis. BMC Family Practice 2014; 15:10.

    Haji Ali Afzali H, Gray J, Beilby J, Holton C, Karnon J. A model-based economic evaluation of improved primary care management of patients with type 2 diabetes in Australia. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy 2013; 11:661-670.

    Drew C, Haji Ali Afzali H, Street J, Bessen T, Neuhaus S. Melanoma follow-up: time to generate the evidence. Australian Health Review 2013; 37: 501-503.

    Haji Ali Afzali H, Gray J, Beilby J, Holton C, Banham D, Karnon J. A risk adjusted economic evaluation of alternative models of involvement of practice nurses in management of type 2 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine 2013; 30:855-863.

    Haji Ali Afzali H, Gray J, Karnon J. Model performance evaluation (validation and calibration) in model-based studies of therapeutic interventions for cardiovascular diseases: A review and suggested reporting framework. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy 2013; 11:85–93.

    Karnon J, Haji Ali Afzali H, Gray J, Beilby J, Holton C, Banham D. A risk adjusted cost-effectiveness analysis of alternative models of nurse involvement in obesity management in primary care. Obesity 2013; 21: 472-479.

    Haji Ali Afzali H, Karnon J, Merlin T. Improving the accuracy and comparability of model-based economic evaluations of health technologies for reimbursement decisions: A methodological framework for the development of reference models. Medical Decision Making 2013; 33: 325-332.

  • Professional Associations

    Editorial board, Applied Health Economics and Health Policy

    Appointed member of Evaluation Sub-Committee (ESC) (Since 2015)

    Appointed member of the Protocol Advisory Sub-Committee (PASC)(2012-2014)

    Member of the International Health Economics Association

    Member of the Health Technology Assessment International

    Member of the Health Services Research Association of Australia & New Zealand

     

     

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Entry last updated: Thursday, 15 Feb 2018