The future of health economics

This paper discusses health economics as a behavioral science and as input into health policy and health services research. I illustrate the dual role with data on publications and citations of two leading health economics jo urnals and three leading American health economists. Five important and rel atively new topics in economics are commended to health economists who focu s on economics as a behavioral science. This is followed by suggestions for health economists in their role of providing input to health policy and he alth services research, I discuss the strengths and weaknesses of economics , the role of values, and the potential for interdisciplinary and multidisc iplinary research. The fourth section presents reasons why I believe the st rong demand for health economics will continue, and the paper concludes wit h a sermon addressed primarily to recent entrants to the field. (C) 2000 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.