Anticipating And Assessing Health Care Technology Volume 5

In an overall sense, the study concerns a system for assessing health care technology. Assessing technology means simply trying to understand its important consequences, in a narrow sense, health care technology assessment is the evaluation or testing of a technology for safety and efficacy (benefits). In a broader sense, it is a process of policy research that examines the short and long-term consequences of individual health care technologies and thereby is a source of information needed by policy makers in developing policy and formulating legislation and regulations, by industry in developing products, by health professionals in treating and serving patients, and by consumers in making personal health decisions. A system to identify future health care technology is an integral part of a complete system for health care technology assessment. In this project, special surveys of experts were carried out. The information was used to identify potential future technologies. Further consultation with those experts and others and examination of the medical literature gave information on the possible importance of many of those technologies. The information is presented in volume II of the project reports.

As noted in the Foreword, this report is the second of several volumes resulting from this study of future health care technology. The purpose of the study, as formulated by the STG, was to analyze future health care technology. Part of the task was to develop an 'early warning system' for health care technology. The primary goal of the project was to develop a list or description of a number of possible and probable future health care technologies, as well as information on their importance. Within the limits of time and money, this has been done. This report is the description of anticipated future health care technologies. However, given the vast number of possible future health care technologies, complete information on the importance of each area could not be developed in any depth for all technology. Therefore, four specific technologies were chosen and were prospectively assessed. These future technologies were examined in more depth, looking particularly at their future health and policy implications. Subsequently, the project was extended to September 1987, and two additional technologies are being assessed.

As noted in the Foreword, this report is one of several volumes resulting from this study of future health care technology. The purpose of the study, as formulated by the STG, was to analyze future health care technology. Part of the task was to develop an 'early warning system' for health care technology. The primary goal of the project was to develop a list or description of a number of possible and probable future health care technologies, as well as information on their importance. Within the limits of time and money, this has been done. However, given the vast number of possible future health care technologies, complete information on the importance of each area could not be developed in any depth for all technology. Therefore, four specific technologies were chosen and were prospectively assessed. These future technologies were examined in more depth, looking particularly at their future health and policy implications. Subsequently, the project was extended to September 1986, and two additional technologies will be assessed.