Health economic research and evidence-based health economic policy advice, both nationally and internationally, rely increasingly on statistical-econometric analyses of survey data, administrative data, or aggregate data. A key objective of this analysis is to derive insights into causal mechanisms from observational data and, increasingly, from field experiments.

The goal of the DGGÖ's Health Econometrics Committee is the further development and application of modern econometric methods for the analysis of health economic research questions. It promotes the exchange of econometrically oriented health economists and consolidates and advances the connection between methodological and substantive research in German-speaking countries.

Many excellent young economists today are entering health economics through the application of econometric methods. This group of individuals will be given an institutional foundation within the DGGÖ in the form of the "Health Econometrics" Committee. The methodological focus is on econometric program evaluation and methods for analyzing discrete and discontinuous dependent variables. Thematic focuses include micro- and macroeconomic determinants of health and the micro- and macroeconomic consequences of (poor) health, as well as the behavior of suppliers and consumers in health markets (including prevention and health behavior). Thus, the "Health Econometrics" Committee sees itself as a cross-sectional committee defined by its methodology.

The committee meets once a year, except for the DGGÖ annual conference. Current research work by members is presented and discussed at two-day workshops at various locations.