Crises of the uncontrolled and misunderstood numbers of health care costs

Fidel Davila

doi:10.1117/12.195447

6 December 1994 Crises of the uncontrolled and misunderstood numbers of health care costs

Fidel Davila

Proceedings Volume 2307, Health Care Technology Policy I: The Role of Technology in the Cost of Health Care; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.195447
Event: The Role of Technology in the Cost of Health Care, 1994, Arlington, VA, United States

Abstract

Innovative technologies have dramatically reduced the risk/benefit ratios of health care. These reductions have led to marked growths in health care utilization resulting in the spiraling increases in health care costs. With minimal risks, when health care becomes necessary is not obvious. With innovative technologies, the question regarding health care delivery has changed from “Can it be done?” to “Should it be done?” Physicians do not currently have the information necessary to answer this question. Quality of care issues must replace risk/benefit ratios as the new paradigm for a physician’s ordering of health care delivery. Quality of care issues include: medical indication, minimizing risks, cost efficiency and patient satisfaction. Much of health care delivered today lacks the warrantedness and efficacy components of medical indication making it unnecessary. New and, as yet, undeveloped information systems must provide information on all quality of care issues to physicians so appropriate decisions regarding health care delivery can be made. With this information, quality of care will improve and large portions of current health care delivery will be found unnecessary or nonessential. Consequently, information systems can serve to control health care costs and to improve quality of health care.

Citation Download Citation

Fidel Davila "Crises of the uncontrolled and misunderstood numbers of health care costs", Proc. SPIE 2307, Health Care Technology Policy I: The Role of Technology in the Cost of Health Care, (6 December 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.195447

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