We invite you to explore Mariana Marques Videira's reflection on her experience at the 10th APES Workshop: Health Economics and Policy, which took place in the serene region of Ílhavo. This bi-annual event is a unique opportunity for researchers to test their work and gather valuable feedback in a close-knit, collaborative setting.
Read about the engaging discussions on key health economics topics, from pharmaceutical competition and healthcare access to productivity in primary care, medication adherence, and more. The workshop also provided enriching moments to connect with fellow researchers and professionals.
Mariana Marques Videira:
The APES workshop provides the ideal setting for researchers to test their work and gather invaluable peer feedback.
The workshop is organized bi-annually by APES, and it usually takes place in remote or rural locations, away from the bustling cities providing a more comfortable and close-knit environment for all participants. This year in particular, the workshop took place in Ílhavo, a peaceful region just outside of Aveiro.
The event spanned two days, October 13 and 14, and despite the casual and comfortable atmosphere, the workshop was packed with several presentations of research projects focused on key issues within health economics. These presentations can include papers that are in an exploratory phase, sharing of preliminary results, or projects that are being submitted to a journal.
On October 13, discussions covered competition of pharmaceutical companies in multimarket setting, the dual practice of general practitioners in Portugal, and the impact of an unconditional cash transfer on healthcare access for the elderly. On October 14, the presentations delved into employer-insurer bargaining and premium inflation in Brazil, productivity and appointment duration in Portuguese primary care, and patterns of medication consumption in a duplicative health system, comparing private and public prescription. Further topics included medication adherence within a financial assistance program and the role of pharmacies in out-of-pocket payments for generic drugs.
The presentations covered a wide range of topics and areas within health economics, from medication adherence and the roles of pharmacies, pharmaceutical firms market, insurers, private and public practices, and primary healthcare productivity. Furthermore, for each presentation, there was an assigned discussant who revised the paper and prepared detailed feedback to the authors. Every presenter gained invaluable insights and positive recommendations to advance their work.
Of course, to complement the academic program the workshop also included several moments of rest and enjoy the company of the other participants. It is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and meet new colleagues from other institutions. This year participants were predominantly academics however there professionals from healthcare institutions also present in the workshop, enabling a broad and dynamic discussion to each presentation.
Overall the experience provided a great opportunity to understand the work in progress in the field of health economics, in a comfortable and enriching environment. Furthermore, I should not forget to highlight the fantastic location picked for this year and the delicious traditional cake, Pão-de-ló de Ovar, featured at every meal.
Mariana Marques Videira, PhD Student
