Project Categories

Productivity and Technology Diffusion in Health Care

Award Year: 2005 Investigator: Jonathan Skinner
As U.S. health care spending continues to escalate, there is a vigorous debate about whether that extra cash is purchasing better health. Some feel the increased spending is driven by innovations in medical technology that significantly improve outcomes. Others believe health care costs are rising because money is being wasted on unnecessary treatment. Jonathan S. Skinner, Ph.D., believes that the relationship of cost to quality of care depends on where one lives and on who provides the care.

Crossing the Threshold: How Experimental Medical Technology Becomes Standard Care

Award Year: 2000 Investigator: Richard Deyo, Donald Patrick
New medical technologies are a leading cause of escalating health care costs. However, the process by which new technology is disseminated and utilized is highly variable. It is driven not only by scientific evidence but also by the high cultural value placed on health technology in the U.S., profit motives, political concerns, marketing, and the media.

Medical Technology in an Era of Limits

Award Year: 1993 Investigator: Annetine Gelijns
Dr. Gelijns provides insight into the forces that drive the rate and direction of technological change in medicine. She also examines which policy mechanisms have the most potential to encourage continued medical innovation and contain health care costs.