Table 2 Description of organisational mechanisms, both internal and external to the organisation, used to meet health economics needs by departments of health in Australia, 2004.

Internal

Position descriptions require qualifications that include an appreciation of economics or health economics in the coursework

Many position descriptions in health require a qualification that includes some introduction to economics or health economics eg Masters of Public Health or Masters of Health Administration.

Staff training (e.g., the NSW Public Health Officer Training Program)

Short courses in health economics of varying duration and intensity, with or without final assessment of participants or accreditation of the courses.

Generalist staff with economic qualifications

Staff have a degree in economics but are not specialist health economists nor does their position require this qualification.

Specialist health economics training programs

Structured training programs to develop specialist health economists.

Health economist positions

Position description requires a qualification in health economics.

Health economics units

A team of health economists (with or without other disciplines) of varying size with well developed roles and functions to support decision making.

External

Consultancy for services

Services of a scale that do not require contracted arrangements, usually for specific tasks, where expertise was sought through professional and personal networks.

Contract research

Contracts whose size does not warrant a competitive tendering process sometimes met by a preferred provider.

Contract research by tender

Contracts developed and let by competitive tender, usually filled by private providers or the academic sector.

Collaborative research centres

University professorial chairs or research centres established with funding that secures the focus of the work in whole or part to meet health service needs.