A Beginner’s Guide to Writing for Health Economics and Outcomes Research

Abstract

The rising costs of health care have prompted many organizations and payers to adopt value-based approaches in deciding which health inventions justify the expenditure, in which patient, and at what cost. Health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) evaluates the economic impact of health interventions and their patient-related outcomes. HEOR has long been used by international health technology assessment (HTA) bodies and US payors to inform reimbursement recommendations. Recent trends suggest that opportunities for medical writers in HEOR projects are likely to continue growing. These trends include the inclusion of real-world evidence (RWE) in the “totality of evidence” supporting regulatory approvals in the United States,¹ Canada,² and Europe³; the use of artificial intelligence to accelerate insights from electronic health records; and the application of HEOR to personalized medicine.⁴ The growing importance of HEOR evidence and the emergence of new regulatory frameworks will result in increased HEOR outputs and opportunities for medical writers to assist in these projects. This paper reviews opportunities for medical writers in HEOR projects and provides suggestions for medical writers who are working on a manuscript for an HEOR journal.