Professor Catia Nicodemo
Professor of Health Economics

Healthcare systems worldwide are under unprecedented pressure, balancing the demands of a growing, aging population with the constraints of limited resources. My research investigates how we can optimize healthcare delivery to achieve better health outcomes while ensuring economic sustainability. A key focus has been exploring the role of workforce policies and innovative healthcare delivery models to address inequalities in access and care quality, particularly in primary and community health services.

One of my major areas of study is the effectiveness of healthcare workforce policies. For example, my work funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) evaluates the impacts of England’s Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme on patient outcomes. This project explores whether expanded roles in primary care, such as the addition of physiotherapists and pharmacists, reduce emergency admissions and improve patient satisfaction.

Another line of research examines the economic impact of healthcare access disparities. In recent studies, I investigated how regional imbalances in General Practitioner (GP) distribution across the UK influence patient health outcomes and system costs. Such disparities can lead to increased emergency hospitalizations, which not only affect patient well-being but also strain the NHS budget. My work aims to provide policymakers with data-driven insights to foster equitable distribution of healthcare resources.

My research also delves into the socioeconomic determinants of health and healthcare utilization. Understanding these underlying factors is essential for designing policies that address health inequities. For instance, recent analyses have highlighted how deprivation affects prescription patterns in England, with potential implications for health outcomes and healthcare expenditures. By integrating economic modeling with healthcare policy analysis, my research contributes to creating more resilient healthcare systems.

These research areas are at the intersection of health economics and healthcare management, offering critical insights for evidence-based policymaking aimed at building efficient, equitable, and sustainable healthcare systems.

Catia Nicodemo’s research focuses on the economic and policy-driven dimensions of healthcare sustainability, particularly through equitable workforce policies, efficient resource allocation, and addressing social determinants of health. Her work provides evidence for strategic reforms in healthcare delivery that improve outcomes and reduce costs across the healthcare system.