Summary |
Technological change in health care has led to huge improvements in health services and the health status of populations. It is also pinpointed as the main driver of health care expenditure. Although offering remarkable benefits, changes in technology are not free and often entail significant financial, as well as physical or social risks. These need to be balanced out in the setting of government regulations, insurance contracts, and individuals’ decisions to use and consume certain technologies. With this in mind, this book addresses the following important objectives: to provide a detailed analysis of what technological change is; to identify drivers of innovation in several health care areas; to present existing mechanisms and processes for ensuring and valuing efficiency and development in the use of medical technologies; and to analyze the impact of advances in medical technology on health, health care expenditure, and health insurance.
The book will appeal to health economists, policy makers, analysts, and researchers, but will also be of interest to those studying social science, management, innovation, or technology, and those working in the pharmaceutical industry.
The book specifically:
• Offers the first truly global economic analysis of health care technologies
• Takes the subject beyond simply economic evaluation, and explores the behavioral aspects, organization and incentives for new technology developments, and the adoption and diffusion of these technologies.
• Is hugely topical for modern health care, relevant to issues such as nano-technology, cloning, and tissue engineering
• Contains contributions from international experts including economists, health policy analysts, clinicians, and social scientists.
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