PECUNIA Resource Use Measurement (RUM) instrument
The PECUNIA RUM is a tool designed to measure how resources are used across different sectors—like healthcare, social care, and education—when providing health-related services in Europe. It helps researchers collect accurate data on what services people use so they can estimate costs more reliably in health economic studies.
At a glance
Use when
Conducting economic evaluations that require multi-sectoral cost data; when estimating societal-level resource use; in studies involving patients with complex needs spanning health, social, and community services
Avoid when
When detailed administrative data are already available; in settings where self-reporting is unreliable; for single-sector assessments where simpler tools suffice
Inputs
Self-reported data on service use from patients, caregivers, or professionals across multiple sectors (e.g., healthcare visits, medications, informal care time, social services, education support)
Outputs
Structured data on resource use quantities categorized by sector and service type, suitable for costing in economic evaluations
How it works
The PECUNIA RUM instrument was developed using a structured, six-step methodological approach based on best practice guidelines, including defining instrument attributes, identifying cost-driving elements across sectors, reviewing methodological literature, and developing and harmonizing questionnaire modules. It supports multi-sectoral resource use assessment through standardized, self-reported modules covering healthcare, social care, informal care, education, and other societal sectors. The development process involved input from healthcare professionals, sector-specific experts, and health economists to ensure cross-sectoral consistency and validity.
- Project
- PECUNIA
- Funding
- Horizon 2020
- Project status
- Completed 2021
- HTA domains
- Costs & Economic Evaluation
- Categories
- Costing & Resource UseSocietal Value
- Technology
- Non-specific
- Assumptions
- Respondents can accurately recall and report their use of services; resource use is a valid proxy for cost; a harmonized cross-sectoral approach improves comparability across settings
- Strengths
- Covers multiple societal sectors; developed using a transparent, evidence-based methodology; designed for cross-national applicability in Europe; involves multidisciplinary expert input; supports harmonization in economic evaluations
- Limitations
- Relies on self-report, which may introduce recall bias; may require adaptation for use in non-European settings; validation of psychometric properties may still be ongoing in some populations
- Geographic & clinical scope
- Austria; Germany; the Netherlands; United Kingdom; Switzerland
- Also known as
- PECUNIA RUM, PECUNIA Resource Use Questionnaire
Questions this answers
- › How much healthcare, social care, or informal care did a person use over a certain time?
- › What resources are used across different sectors that should be included in a health economic evaluation?
- › How can I collect reliable cost data from patients or caregivers in a study?
- › Can this tool be used to measure resource use outside of hospitals, like in schools or at home?
- › Is there a standardized way to compare resource use across different countries or health systems?
- › How was this resource use instrument developed and is it based on best practices?
Related methods
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Beta record. Generated from the primary source via AI extraction and independent audit, pending final human review.