Research

Over the last four decades, the Center has focused on international and domestic comparative research as one of its major areas of interest. We have conducted economic evaluations and budget impact analyses of medical devices and drugs, as well as complex health and social care programs for some of the most relevant health conditions, including obesity, asthma and heart disease. We have also continued to explore how health providers are organized, managed and financed, as well as how they adapt to the emerging changes of today’s societies, such as hospital and community-based organizational models for the management of chronic diseases and long-term care services, or the financial and organizational impacts of patient mobility within and across different national states.

Research conducted at CERGAS is funded through competitive grants from national and international funding sources, including the Italian government, the European Commission, philanthropic institutions and private donors. We conduct approximately 50 research projects annually. We aim to be policy-relevant and to produce highly valuable research for decision makers; in this regard, CERGAS continuously interacts with regional, national and international health authorities and has developed an integrated system of thematic observatories to provide reliable, context- specific evidence on NHS organizations, health policy, management and technological innovation.

Our most recent international EU funded projects include:

1. COMED — Pushing the boundaries of cost and outcome analysis of health technologies – Project Leader
2. IMPACT HTA — Improved methods and actionable tools for enhancing HTA — Project Partner
3. Do-IT  — Big Data for Better Outcomes, Policy Innovation and Healthcare System Transformation – Project Partner
4. European Training Network (ETN) IQCE — Improving the Quality of Care in Europe International – Project Partner (This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 721402)
5. MedtecHTA — Methods for Health Technology Assessment of Medical Devices – Project Leader
6. Bridge HEALTH — BRidging Information and Data Generation for Evidence-based Health Policy and Research) – Project Partner
7. Eurohope — European Health Care Outcomes, Performance and Efficiency – Project Partner

CERGAS research activity is organised into five research areas:

1. Health Economics & HTA
2. Health Policy
3. Healthcare Management
4. Social Policy and Social Innovation
5. Global Health

The Centre emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach to research and many of the projects conducted cross boundaries between the areas.