Comments on: THE FIGHT AGAINST HEART DISEASE—”EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND WILDLY SUCCESSFUL.” http://philipschaefer.com/2009/07/28/the-fight-against-heart-disease-extremely-expensive-and-wildly-successful/ Theories, observations, and articles Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:57:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: A JOURNAL OF REPLICATED RESULTS. | Pater Familias http://philipschaefer.com/2009/07/28/the-fight-against-heart-disease-extremely-expensive-and-wildly-successful/comment-page-1/#comment-3080 A JOURNAL OF REPLICATED RESULTS. | Pater Familias Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:41:42 +0000 http://philipschaefer.com/?p=2641#comment-3080 [...] overly impressed by the differences between what I saw of health care in 1975 and in 2005. I posted here on an article by David Brown which pointed out that in 1975 the chances of dying in the days [...] [...] overly impressed by the differences between what I saw of health care in 1975 and in 2005. I posted here on an article by David Brown which pointed out that in 1975 the chances of dying in the days [...]

]]> By: PITFALLS OF ARGUING WITH FRIENDS REVISITED (COMMENT). | Pater Familias http://philipschaefer.com/2009/07/28/the-fight-against-heart-disease-extremely-expensive-and-wildly-successful/comment-page-1/#comment-2755 PITFALLS OF ARGUING WITH FRIENDS REVISITED (COMMENT). | Pater Familias Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:08:51 +0000 http://philipschaefer.com/?p=2641#comment-2755 [...] OF ARGUING WITH FRIENDS REVISITED (COMMENT). Dick Weisfelder commented a couple times on this post. I am reminded of what I said in this post from a couple years ago after a visit from Dick and [...] [...] OF ARGUING WITH FRIENDS REVISITED (COMMENT). Dick Weisfelder commented a couple times on this post. I am reminded of what I said in this post from a couple years ago after a visit from Dick and [...]

]]> By: Dick Weisfelder http://philipschaefer.com/2009/07/28/the-fight-against-heart-disease-extremely-expensive-and-wildly-successful/comment-page-1/#comment-2748 Dick Weisfelder Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:34:17 +0000 http://philipschaefer.com/?p=2641#comment-2748 When you link success in improving survival rates and cost, you can not escape some inference about value. Should we ask why medical gains, unlike technological transformations in other sectors like IT, have almost never provided greater value with declining costs? When you link success in improving survival rates and cost, you can not escape some inference about value. Should we ask why medical gains, unlike technological transformations in other sectors like IT, have almost never provided greater value with declining costs?

]]> By: Philip http://philipschaefer.com/2009/07/28/the-fight-against-heart-disease-extremely-expensive-and-wildly-successful/comment-page-1/#comment-2743 Philip Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:38:13 +0000 http://philipschaefer.com/?p=2641#comment-2743 I'm not trying to take on the job of determining whether we are getting the best buy for our health money. In fact, I think there are a whole lot of improvements we can make, and I have identified some things we can do--washing our hands more and doing a lot more comparative research on the results of treatments. I'm just saying that adding up costs without considering the results is not helpful, and yet the argument shows up all the time. I’m not trying to take on the job of determining whether we are getting the best buy for our health money. In fact, I think there are a whole lot of improvements we can make, and I have identified some things we can do–washing our hands more and doing a lot more comparative research on the results of treatments. I’m just saying that adding up costs without considering the results is not helpful, and yet the argument shows up all the time.

]]> By: Dick Weisfelder http://philipschaefer.com/2009/07/28/the-fight-against-heart-disease-extremely-expensive-and-wildly-successful/comment-page-1/#comment-2741 Dick Weisfelder Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:09:48 +0000 http://philipschaefer.com/?p=2641#comment-2741 Your argument says nothing about whether we are getting the best buy for our health money in this or other areas. To do so, you'd have to compare the success rates and costs in other advanced industrial states with different health care systems. For example, you might be excited to buy a computer that is fantastically better than what you bought in 1983 for a much lower price in 2009. But if something even better were available for half the price (as is often the case) from another merchant, you wouldn't be very pleased with your purchase just because it was cheaper and better than your old model!. Your argument says nothing about whether we are getting the best buy for our health money in this or other areas. To do so, you’d have to compare the success rates and costs in other advanced industrial states with different health care systems.

For example, you might be excited to buy a computer that is fantastically better than what you bought in 1983 for a much lower price in 2009. But if something even better were available for half the price (as is often the case) from another merchant, you wouldn’t be very pleased with your purchase just because it was cheaper and better than your old model!.

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