[Include teaching of health economics in the medical curriculum--a way of containing cost increases?]

The amount of money spent on health care and related services is expanding exponentially, and today's health bill represents an increasing share of gross national product. An understanding of economic and technical dynamics, and their impact on the health care decisions of physicians and consequently their institutions, are part of a knowledge base that may be of interest to the present and future health care community. The authors outline the present situation and suggest that a course on the economics of health care systems designed for physicians may be a way of contending with increasing health costs.