title: The diffusion of medical technology.
abstract: The diffusion of medical technology is a complex process dependent upon the character of the industry, cost of investment and adoption, sophistication of users and their environments, general-use standards, user prestige, patient distribution, government regulations, and scale of operation. The one positive influence with the greatest impact on the rate of adoption of a new technology is the third-party-payer system. The more we understand those parameters affecting the diffusion of technology in medicine, the more we will be able to provide society with good care in a reasonable cost.
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital / Q000191:economics; D006076:Government; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics*; D006740:Hospital Administrators; D006748:Hospital Departments; D007348:Insurance, Health; D013677:Medical Laboratory Science / Q000191:economics* / Q000295:instrumentation; D014481:United States