title: Proton beam therapy and the convoluted pathway to incorporating emerging technology into routine medical care in the United States.
abstract: The pathway that emerging medical technologies take to incorporation into routine medical care in the United States is a product of the social, economic, and political milieu. Our review explores how this milieu brought the incorporation of proton beam therapy into the healthcare delivery system to its current point. We look at how new technologies are presently accepted into this system and discuss the emerging trends--such as the use of evidence-based assessment of technology, coverage with evidence policies, and comparative effectiveness analysis--that are affecting proton beam therapy's effort to finds its place in the pantheon of available medical treatments for patients with cancer.
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6951, USA. msteinberg@mednet.ucla.edu
authors: Michael L
authors: ML
authors: Steinberg
authors: Andre
authors: A
authors: Konski
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D061766:Proton Therapy; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D014481:United States; D011522:Protons
chemical_list: D011522:Protons