Grasping the role of technology: a conversation with Ron Dollens. Interview by John K. Iglehart

In an interview with Health Affairs founding editor John Iglehart, Ron Dollens outlines the differences between drug and device companies in the current U.S. health care marketplace. He discusses at length the recent Medicare coverage decision regarding implantable cardiac defibrillators, one of his company's major innovations. He sees a growing trend for cost-effectiveness to be considered along with a device's safety and efficacy, and he finds this to be appropriate in an environment characterized by constrained resources. He believes that the United States must find a solution to the problem of uninsurance, if our health care system is to remain competitive in a global economy.