title: The status of laparoscopic surgery in Australia.
abstract: Laparoscopic surgery continues to evolve and to offer major potential for achieving benefits to patients and to health care providers because of decreased morbidity. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has diffused rapidly and widely. However, the spread of other minimal access surgery methods has been more gradual, reflecting uncertainties as to the degree of benefit and rate of change of technology. Firm evidence of efficacy and costs of the new methods is still limited, and a number of organisational issues continue to demand attention.
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hailey
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirsch
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D020706:Laparoscopes; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D012449:Safety; D013523:Surgical Equipment; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical