Diffusion of New Technologies in the Treatment of the Medicare Population: Implications for Patient Access and Program Expenditures

Abstract

AbstractPatterns of diffusion were analyzed for three pairs of technologies: one of each pair represents a very recent innovation, and the other is more established. Tremendous growth in utilization from 1985–89 was documented, primarily due to more patients obtaining access to the technologies. Nevertheless, disturbing differences in levels of use remain between black and white patients.