By Margot Phaneuf, R.N., Ph.D.
Revised in September 2008
Health care delivery in the developed world is in constant transformation. Structures and values are changing. New and more effective tools and technology are being used to identify and overcome diseases. Yet even if these new technologies are increasingly available to the public, not all of them have market potential. Cost efficiency is at the core of our health care system. Cost considerations often supersede the needs of the individual, leaving him to deal with his worry and pain.