title: Spine update: understanding cost-effectiveness.
abstract: Although most people are familiar with the idea of cost-effectiveness, many wonder how--or whether--it should be applied to health care. This article discusses the concept of cost-effectiveness, techniques for measuring it, and the pitfalls and benefits of applying cost-effectiveness analysis to health care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000191:economics*