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Health care technology in the United States
Health Policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|September 5, 1994
Summary
The US healthcare system faces challenges with access and cost, leading to debates on reform. Despite a growing health technology assessment industry, its impact on national policy and medical practice remains minimal.
Area of Science:
- Health Policy and Economics
- Medical Technology Assessment
Background:
- The US healthcare system operates on a free-market model with no budget limits, leading to high costs and accessibility issues.
- Concerns about excessive use of expensive medical technology and lack of control have been central to reform debates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the role and impact of health care technology assessment within the US healthcare system.
- To analyze the effectiveness of technology assessment in influencing national policy and medical practice.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the structure and function of the US healthcare industry.
- Review of the health care technology assessment industry and its utilization by various stakeholders.
- Assessment of the influence of technology assessment on national policy and individual medical practice.
Main Results:
- Health care technology assessment is a significant industry used by diverse groups for specific purposes.
- Opportunities for technology assessment to influence national healthcare policy are limited.
- Efforts to impact medical practice primarily focus on individual hospitals and practitioners.
Conclusions:
- The impact of health care technology assessment on the broader healthcare industry and national policy has been minimal.
- Despite its growth, technology assessment has had a discernible effect primarily at the micro-level of individual practice rather than macro-policy.