Concepedia

Publication | Closed Access

Investment in new technology research can save future health care dollars.

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Citations

0

References

1997

Year

D Reintgen, John J. Albertini, G Milliotes, J Marshburn, C W Cruse, David P. Rapaport, Claudia G. Berman, Frank Glass, N Fensske, Albert Einstein,
PubMed

Abstract

With 38,300 new cases of melanoma diagnosed each year in the United States, a projected savings of $172 million per year (general anesthesia) and $350 million per year (local anesthesia) could be realized if this new mapping technology could be incorporated into the care of the melanoma patient. Patient morbidity is minimized, nodal staging is complete and patients return to work sooner. Recently approved adjuvant therapy can be applied in a selective fashion, treating only those patients in which a documented benefit has been obtained, saving the health care system more dollars. Initial investment in defining the technology was minimal.