Short Description
The DHE Unit Cost Online Database was launched in 2016 to support the feasibility of conducting economic evaluations in the Austrian setting with publicly available unit cost information. It is a regularly updated online database collated by the Department of Health Economics (DHE), Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna. The database is free to access after registration and agreement to the citation requirements at the following link: https://public-health.meduniwien.ac.at/en/our-departments/department-of-health-economics-dhe/research/downloads/dhe-unit-cost-online-database/access/.
Contact Person
Dr. Susanne Mayer
Research Services
The current version of the database (4.1, last content update in May 2022) contains more than 700 unit cost estimates of direct medical and non-medical costs for services delivered in the hospital sector, practice-based outpatient sector, long-term care and rehabilitation sector as well as indirect costs in Austria. The database is updated every two years.
The database aims to provide readily available unit costs and increase awareness of different unit cost sources and their associated limitations as well as unit cost reporting standards. Potential users include national and international researchers, health care providers, decision-makers and planers.
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
The unit costs were extracted from published costing studies and economic evaluations on the Austrian health and social care sector and a grey literature search of published reports by relevant national HTA (Health Technology Assessment) agencies and key stakeholders in health economics.
*DHE Unit Cost Online Database: Cost Collection from Existing Studies. Vienna: Department of Health Economics (DHE), Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna
*Mayer S, Kiss N, Łaszewska A, Simon J (2017): Costing evidence for health care decision-making in Austria: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 12(8): e0183116. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183116.
Further information: https://public-health.meduniwien.ac.at/en/our-departments/department-of-health-economics-dhe/research/downloads/dhe-unit-cost-online-database/
Mayer S, Łaszewska A, Simon J. Unit Costs in Health Economic Evaluations: Quo Vadis, Austria? Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 22;20(1):117. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20010117.