PhD defence Isabell Wiethoff

Keywords: Health Economics, Health Technology Assessment, Decision-making, Cardiovascular diseases

"Beyond the Heartbeat: An Evaluation of Quality of Life, Societal Costs, and Cost-Effectiveness in Inheritable Cardiomyopathies"

Today’s healthcare systems are increasingly pressured by rising healthcare needs, while the available healthcare budget remains limited. This growing imbalance requires informed decisions about healthcare financing and reimbursement decisions. Especially new medical interventions are often associated with high costs, making it essential to assess not only their clinical value, but also whether their additional benefits justify their costs. 

Within this context, this dissertation investigated the economic impact of inheritable cardiomyopathies, a group of structural and functional disorders of the heart muscle. By collecting novel data on the patients’ quality of life and the broader societal costs associated with these diseases, this research contributed to a better understanding of their overall disease burden and provided a data foundation for (future) health economic analyses. Finally, the dissertation used these novel data to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a novel drug, providing insights into how healthcare resources can be used more efficiently to optimize care for patients with cardiomyopathies. 

Click here for the live stream.