Based on my 40-years of experience as a physiatrist and health economist, I present several health economics and policy perspectives along with some basic knowledge requisite for rehabilitation professionals as follows : (1) There are two economic theories or schools concerning the role of health care in society. (2) It is crucial to correctly understand the concept of “ efficiency” ; efficiency in itself does not necessarily mean health care cost containment. (3) There are several basic methods to measure health efficiency ; the most practical one is cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA). (4) The cost of community-based long-term care is not necessarily cheaper than institutional care. (5) We must differentiate “long-term perspective” from “short-term perspective” when we evaluate the efficiency of health care and rehabilitation services.

Health Care Reform ; Self ; Health