Technology in American health care : policy directions for effective evaluation and management /

Cohen (Boston Univ.) and Hanft (Univ. of Virginia and Dartmouth) incorporate almost 800 references to the pertinent literature in this comprehensive, multidisciplinary guide. In 15 chapters they discuss how drugs, devices, and procedures are developed, evaluated, marketed, and adopted in American medicine today. Benefits, costs, and risks are the factors that drive modern medical technology; it is not surprising that controversies surround almost all advances in this field. Sound science and wise policy decisions need to be employed in all matters dealing with human health. This book briefly covers the history of technology in American medicine before moving on to biomedical innovation, the development of diffusion, and adoption of medical technology. Other chapters examine the methods of medical technology evaluation, including clinical trials, meta-analyses, economic studies, and clinical decision analysis; and key public policy issues that affect the organization, financing, and delivery of safe, high-quality, and equitable health care. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above; general readers. M. Kroger emeritus, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Campus