Smith, R. orcid.org/0000-0003-0245-3217, Mohammed, W. orcid.org/0000-0003-0370-4903 and Schneider, P. orcid.org/0000-0003-3552-1087 (2023) Packaging cost-effectiveness models in R: a tutorial. Wellcome Open Research, 8. 419. ISSN 2398-502X
Abstract
Background: The use of programming languages such as R in health economics and decision science is increasing, and brings numerous benefits including increasing model development efficiency, improving transparency, and reducing human error. However, there is limited guidance on how to best develop models using R. So far, no clear consensus has emerged. Methods: We present the advantages of creating health economic models as R packages - structured collections of functions, data sets, tests, and documentation. Assuming an intermediate understanding of R, we provide a tutorial to demonstrate how to construct a basic R package for health economic evaluation. All source code used in or referenced by this paper is available under an open-source licence. Case Study: We use the Sick Sicker Model as a case study applying the steps from the tutorial to standardise model development, documentation and aid review. This can improve the distribution of code, thereby streamlining model development, and improving methods in health economic evaluation. Conclusion: R packages offer a valuable framework for enhancing the quality and transparency of health economic evaluation models. Embracing better, more standardised software development practices, while fostering a collaborative culture, has the potential to significantly improve the quality of health economic models, and, ultimately, support better decision making in healthcare.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2023 Smith R et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > School of Health and Related Research (Sheffield) > ScHARR - Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Wellcome Trust 108903/B/15/Z |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 28 Nov 2023 11:44 |
Last Modified: | 28 Nov 2023 11:44 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19656.1 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | F1000 Research Ltd |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19656.1 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:205780 |
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