When should we move beyond Excel for health technology assessment?

I sit down with Dr Robert Smith to explore why increasingly complex health economic models call for a different approach—and how R can help.

We discuss the challenges of reviewing large spreadsheets, R’s strengths for simulation modelling, and how the R for HTA community shares tools and knowledge. Robert also explains how generative AI speeds up coding while making domain expertise, clear problem definition, and human judgement even more valuable. We close with practical ways to learn, contribute, and get involved in open-source work.

Why you should listen

If you work in statistics, health economics, or HTA, this conversation will help you assess where R could support your work. Together, we explore how to:

• Recognise when a model’s complexity calls for a move beyond spreadsheets.
• Connect statistical analyses and economic modelling within R.
• Learn from an open-source community across academia, consultancies, and industry.
• Use generative AI while keeping human judgement and domain expertise central.
• Support junior colleagues as AI takes over more routine coding.

Episode highlights with timestamps

• 02:25 — How Robert found his way into R and health economics
• 03:54 — Why move beyond Excel?
• 06:15 — The challenge of reviewing and maintaining spreadsheet models
• 08:40 — Why R rather than Python?
• 11:29 — What the R for HTA consortium brings together
• 13:25 — Where the modelling work goes deeper
• 15:47 — How to learn and get involved
• 17:39 — Why industry supports open-source methods
• 19:29 — How consultancies adapt their services
• 20:51 — How generative AI changes model development
• 23:17 — Why human judgement still drives the work
• 25:08 — Start with a small contribution

Links and Resources:

🔗 Robert Smith on LinkedIn

🔗 Robert’s publications

🔗 R for HTA consortium

🔗 Dark Peak Analytics

🔗 R for Health Economics courses

🔗 Structured Expert Elicitation Platform

🔗 Learn more about PSI and become a member

🔗 The Effective Statistician Academy – I offer free and premium resources to help you become a more effective statistician.

🔗 My New Book: How to Be an Effective Statistician - Volume 1 – It’s packed with insights to help statisticians, data scientists, and quantitative professionals excel as leaders, collaborators, and change-makers in healthcare and medicine.

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