Effects of hospital cost containment on the development and use of medical technology

Abstract

The early hope for more effective, safer, and less expensive care through the "medical technological revolution" is critically examined. Inflated costs--and imperfect expectations--have led to broad proposals for hospital cost containment which may constrain development and use of new technology. But concerns for care and cost will be better served by selective shifts in the type of technology employed and incentives for its use.