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Please find below further information on the application process for Bachelor’s and Master’s theses. If you are interested in writing a Master’s thesis with us, we highly recommend having a look at the «Boost your Master's Thesis in Health Science!».
The official guidelines of the University of St.Gallen apply to final theses. We have developed a clearly structured and transparent scheme for the evaluation of theses. Should you decide to write your thesis at the Chair of Health Economics, Policy and Management, we will be happy to share the evaluation scheme with you at the beginning of the writing process.
Special regulations apply to students of the Joint Medical Master JMM-HSG/UZH.
These are suitable for Bachelor's and Master's theses and can be written in German or English. For each topic, an indication of whether qualitative or quantitative skills are required is given. Generally, applications from all students of management, finance, economics, international affairs, and medicine (Joint Medical Master JMM-HSG/UZH) are welcome. | ||
| Topic | Description | Skills |
Cost-of-Illness Analysis of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis in Germany: A Health-Economics Focus on Indirect Costs (only Master theses) contact persons: | This thesis aims to estimate the cost of illness of hip (coxarthrosis) and knee (gonarthrosis) osteoarthritis in Germany, with particular emphasis on indirect costs such as productivity losses, days of work incapacity, and other health-economic implications. Using a quantitative approach, the study will (1) identify current prevalence and incidence data for hip and knee osteoarthritis in Germany, (2) determine and quantify key indirect cost components (e.g., sickness benefits, work absenteeism, early retirement, reduced work capacity, informal care), (3) estimate the overall economic burden of these conditions from a societal perspective, (4) compare findings to existing international cost-of-illness studies to contextualise the results, and (5) discuss policy implications for the German healthcare system and labour market, with a focus on measures that could promote earlier diagnosis and appropriate surgical interventions, such as adjustments to clinical guidelines, incentive structures for physicians, and the introduction of routine early check-ups to identify osteoarthritis at a treatable stage. The outcome will provide health-economic evidence to stakeholders and contribute to improved resource allocation and management of hip and knee osteoarthritis in Germany. | Quantitative skills |
Hospital Cost Reporting Across Countries: Categories, Granularity, and Data Transparency contact persons: | Hospitals report financial and cost information in different ways across countries and health-system settings Moreover, access to hospital cost data and the degree of transparency in public reporting vary across and within countries, potentially shaping both accountability and the scope for health-services and policy research. This study will examine how hospitals reporting system(s) classify and disclose hospital costs within selected country or across selected countries. It will compare reported cost categories, assess the granularity and comparability of available information, and investigate institutional and regulatory factors that influence public access to such data. | Qualitative skills |
Enhancing the recruitment and engagement of underrepresented groups in clinical trials/research projects contact persons: | Clinical research often face difficulties in engaging vulnerable populations (e.g., people with chronic diseases, pregnant individuals and individuals assigned as female at birth). This Master’s thesis will investigate the main challenges researchers/recruitment teams face, and explore how awareness of clinical research and its potential benefits can be strengthened among groups that may be less likely to consider participating in clinical trials. The thesis will synthesise existing evidence on strategies to increase awareness, understanding, trust, and interest in clinical research among these populations. Drawing on international evidence and examples from the Swiss studies, the thesis will develop practical recommendations for increasing awareness and informed participation in clinical trials among underrepresented groups. | Qualitative skills |
What Are the Real Procedural Costs of Breast Cancer/Colorectal Surgery/ Prostate cancer/Other Surgery? A Systematic Literature Review of Published Cost Analyses contact persons: | This Master’s thesis will systematically synthesise published evidence on the procedural costs of breast cancer surgery and critically examine the comparability of international expenditure The study will assess whether reported expenditures for similar surgical procedures genuinely reflect differences in resource use or are instead influenced by inconsistent methodological approaches and contextual factors. Based on these findings, the thesis will develop recommendations for improving the transparency and standardisation of international cost comparisons (e.g., checklist), with a particular focus on the relevance and transferability of existing estimates to the Swiss healthcare system. | Qualitative skills and Quantitative skills (e.g., to apply the checklist in Swiss settings and calculate cost components for selected surgery) |
Lean Management in Hospitals: A Systematic Review of Outcome Measures and Evidence of Effectiveness contact persons:
| Lean Management has been widely adopted in hospitals to improve process efficiency, yet the evidence on its actual impact remains fragmented, as studies use different measures spanning patient care, staff wellbeing, operational performance, and financial results. This thesis will conduct a systematic literature review (following PRISMA guidelines) to identify which measures are used to evaluate Lean Management interventions in hospital settings, including structure, process, outcome and experience measures. Furthermore, the review will synthesize a standard set of measures for the evaluation of Lean Management in hospitals. The result will be a structured overview of the field's outcome landscape, providing a valuable reference for designing and evaluating future Lean initiatives in health settings | Qualitative skills |
Determinants of Participation in Mammography and Breast Cancer Screening Programmes contact persons: | Mammography is an important tool for the early detection of breast cancer. However, participation in mammography varies considerably across populations and healthcare settings. Understanding the factors that encourage or discourage women from undergoing mammography can provide important insights for improving its uptake. This thesis aims to review the available evidence on the determinants of participation in mammography, including both organized breast cancer screening programs and mammography use outside such programs in general in Switzerland and around the globe. Relevant factors may include individual and socioeconomic characteristics, knowledge and beliefs, accessibility, communication, healthcare provider involvement, as well as organizational and financial aspects. Particular attention should be given to modifiable determinants that could potentially be addressed by healthcare providers, screening organizations, or policymakers. | Qualitative skills |
Exploring the Swiss Hospital-at-Home Ecosystem: Stakeholder Roles, Business Models, and Incentives
contact person: | Hospital-at-Home (HaH) is a novel care approach in Switzerland that delivers acute, hospital-level treatment in a patient’s own home. Because the model is still in its early stages locally, questions remain about how it should be organized, funded, and scaled. This thesis will explore the evolving Swiss HaH landscape by conducting in-depth interviews with key stakeholders across the system, including hospital managers, physicians, home-care providers, health insurers, and technology partners. The study will examine different emerging business and operating models (such as hospital-led, tech-enabled, or cross-sector partnerships) and map how money and responsibilities flow between actors in HaH. The student will identify the financial incentives, organizational drivers, and systemic challenges shaping stakeholder participation, offering practical recommendations for building a sustainable HaH ecosystem in Switzerland. (Bachelor/Master’s thesis) | Qualitative research skills (semi-structured interviews, thematic analysis, stakeholder mapping) |
Understanding Patient Readiness for Hospital-at-Home in Switzerland: Trust, Technology, and Perceived Safety contact person: | While Hospital-at-Home (HaH) offers substantial benefits for healthcare systems, its success ultimately depends on whether patients and their families feel comfortable receiving acute care outside traditional hospital walls. This Master’s thesis will investigate patient attitudes, emotional considerations, and willingness to participate in HaH within the Swiss context. Drawing on health communication and technology acceptance models, such as the Health Belief Model (HBM), the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), or fear-appeal frameworks (e.g., EPPM), the student will design and distribute a survey to explore patient perceptions. The study will look closely at key factors such as trust in remote care teams, technology-related comfort, perceived home safety, and illness-related anxiety. The findings will help healthcare providers design better communication strategies and patient-centered onboarding processes for HaH services. (Master’s thesis) | Quantitative research skills (survey design, scale adaptation, descriptive and regression analysis, health communication theories) |
Beyond Absenteeism: How Should the Productivity Impact of Occupational Health Interventions Be Measured? contact person: | Presenteeism (i.e., working while experiencing health problems and therefore performing below full capacity) may account for a substantial share of health-related productivity losses. However, existing evaluations of occupational health interventions use heterogeneous methods to measure and monetize presenteeism, making comparison of intervention effectiveness and return on investment difficult. This thesis will systematically review how presenteeism is measured and economically valued in occupational health intervention studies. It will compare commonly used approaches and instruments and assess their methodological strengths, limitations, and implications for economic evaluations. Based on the findings, the thesis may develop practical recommendations or a standardized framework/checklist for measuring presenteeism and incorporating it into economic evaluations of workplace health interventions. | Qualitative skills (for review and assessment) and light quantitative skills (for comparing productivity estimates and potentially applying alternative measurements) |
Projecting hip arthroplasty utilization in OECD countries contact person: | Hip arthroplasty is among the most cost-intensive and frequent and cost-intensive surgical procedures. Existing forecasts have limitations (e.g., typically restricted to single countries or rarely accounting for demographic, economic, or clinical drivers). This thesis will investigate how hip arthroplasty utilization is likely to evolve across OECD countries. The thesis will explore whether utilization forecasts differ between patient groups, and how country-level differences may shape future demand. Based on these projections, the thesis will discuss implications for capacity planning, workforce needs, and budget allocation across OECD health systems. | Quantitative research skills |
Zeit bis zum Behandlungsbeginn bei onkologischen Erkrankungen: Trends und Einflussfaktoren anhand von Krebsregisterdaten der Ostschweiz contact person: | Zeit bis zum Behandlungsbeginn (Time to Treatment Initiation, TTI) gilt international als anerkannter Qualitätsindikator der onkologischen Versorgung. US-Studien zeigen einen kontinuierlichen Anstieg der TTI über die letzten zwei Jahrzehnte, mitbedingt durch eine Zunahme früh entdeckter Tumoren dank verbesserter Screening- und Diagnostikverfahren (Dafflisio et al., 2025). Für die Ostschweiz fehlen vergleichbare, registerbasierte Auswertungen. Diese Arbeit kann anhand anonymisierter Daten des Krebsregisters Ostschweiz die TTI bei den drei häufigsten Krebsarten – Brustkrebs (Frauen), Prostatakrebs (Männer) und Darmkrebs untersuchen. Beispielsweise kann die TTI zeitlich oder nach Tumorstadium, Altersgruppe oder nach Erstbehandlungskomplex untersucht werden. Die Ergebnisse könnten aufzeigen, ob sich internationale Trends in der Ostschweiz widerspiegeln, und Hinweise auf Unterschiede bei Versorgungskapazitäten oder auf den Einfluss von Früherkennungsprogrammen liefern. | Quantitative research skills |
| The topics are reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis. If you have a topic suggestion of your own, we look forward to hearing from you. | ||
Health Economics, Policy and Management
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