The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) 86:1305-1314 (2004)
© 2004 The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.
Health Care Technology Assessment
Basic Principles and Clinical Applications
Kevin J. Bozic, MD, MBA1,
Read G. Pierce, BA1 and
James H. Herndon, MD, MBA2
1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (K.J.B.), School of Medicine (R.G.P.),
University of California, San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Avenue, MU 320W, San
Francisco, CA 94143-0728. E-mail address for K.J. Bozic:
bozick{at}orthosurg.ucsf.edu
2 Partners Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 55 Fruit Street, GRB-624, Boston,
MA 02114
Investigation performed at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,
School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
California
The authors did not receive grants or outside funding in support of their
research or preparation of this manuscript. They did not receive payments or
other benefits or a commitment or agreement to provide such benefits from a
commercial entity. No commercial entity paid or directed, or agreed to pay or
direct, any benefits to any research fund, foundation, educational
institution, or other charitable or nonprofit organization with which the
authors are affiliated or associated.
Health care technology (defined as all drugs, devices, and medical and
surgical procedures used in medical care as well as the organizational and
supportive systems within which such care is provided) is widely regarded as
an important driver of escalating health care spending in the United
States.
Many new health care technologies are adopted and used in clinical practice
with little or no evidence that their use is associated with improved patient
outcomes.
Orthopaedic surgeons are facing increasing scrutiny from hospitals and
payers regarding the adoption and use of new technology for the treatment of
patients with musculoskeletal disease.
Health care technology assessment is a growing field that is concerned with
the multidisciplinary evaluation of clinical data on the basis of safety and
efficacy as well as economic aspects of technology acquisition.
Through an understanding of the relevant literature and the concepts of
health care technology assessment, orthopaedic surgeons have an opportunity to
participate in the assessment process and thus influence clinical and health
policy decisions regarding the adoption and use of new and existing
technologies in the field of orthopaedic surgery.

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