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Utilities are measures which comprise both length of life and
subjective levels of wellbeing (the best known utility measure
is the Quality-Adjusted-Life-Years or QALYs). In this case,
competing interventions are compared in terms of cost per unit of
utility gained (for example, cost-per-QALY). Example: should patients
admitted with stroke be treated in intensive care units or in medical
wards? Results are expressed as incremental cost per quality adjusted
life expectancy with medical ward admissions as a baseline comparator.
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