Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Technology Acquisition in Canada: control in Regulated Market

1988; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 4; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1017/s0266462300004037

1471-6348

Raisa Deber, Gail Thompson, Peggy Leatt,

Global Health Care Issues

Abstract The authors provide a detailed overview of how the national and provincial health systems of Canada exercise control over the diffusion of medical technology. In particular, they examine the diffusion of CT scanning and the adoption of non-ionic radio contrast media. While the nature of the parliamentary system theoretically aflows the government, especially the executive, to exert more control over its policy agenda than in the United States, the authors believe that effective control is hampered by a lack of political will and insufficient “teeth” in the Ministry of Health' mandate and policy. The authors also conclude that the manipulation of reimbursement systems to encourage or discourage the diffusion of various medical technologies is not always effective, and that political clout often triumphs over rational decision making.