cost-effectiveness analysis
a measure of program efficacy or economic efficiency expressed in terms of the cost of achieving a unit of program outcome. Cost-effectiveness analysis measures the monetary value of resources used with clinical health effects (e.g., death rate, test performance), whereas in a cost–benefit analysis the economic return (e.g., reduced future use of health services) is expected to exceed the treatment cost (e.g., providing vaccinations). Cost-effectiveness analysis is most appropriate when programs have one main identifiable evaluation outcome, when future costs are not confounded with changes in outcome, or when outcomes are not directly reducible to monetary payoffs. See also cost-offset analysis.