Plain Language Summary

This editorial considers the definition of whole health and what it implies for the field of health economics and outcomes research.

Whole health recognizes that (a) healthcare produces more than just health as traditionally defined, and (b) health can be produced by many things other than healthcare. These ideas are not new—they have been a feature of health economics and public health for many years. However, they are not fully addressed in current standard practices in evaluating effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of healthcare or approaches to health technology assessment. 

The implication is a need to expand how value is assessed and to shift more toward multisectoral evaluation methods that consider inputs and costs from various sectors of the economy (eg, integrating factors such as education, housing, and the environment). Examples of emerging frameworks include extended value models, the adoption of societal perspectives, and the use of methods that incorporate equity considerations and environmental impacts into cost-effectiveness analysis. Alternative methods, like cost benefit analysis, offer another possible way forward.

There is a risk that whole health could be narrowly applied, benefiting only the pharmaceutical industry if limited to additional elements of value being considered in price negotiations for new medicines. To avoid this, the health economics and outcomes research community should focus on developing robust methods that consider multisectoral costs and benefits, aiming to improve health outcomes regardless of whether interventions lie inside or outside the healthcare sector.

Success depends not only on innovative methods but also on political commitment and cross-sectoral cooperation. Practical challenges include coordinating diverse public sector organizations to work towards shared goals, despite budgets remaining largely siloed.

^{Note: This content was created with assistance from artificial intelligence (AI) and has been reviewed and edited by ISPOR staff. For more information or for inquiries on ISPOR’s AI policy, click here or contact us at info@ispor.org.}