The Pivotal Role of the Academic Health Center

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Abstract
Prologue: Over the course of this century academic health centers (AHCs) have emerged as key players in the complex process of developing technology and moving it from the laboratory to the medical marketplace. Recent trends toward price competition and increased regulation in hospital reimbursement rates, however, threaten to eliminate traditional funding sources for research and development (R&D) in these institutions. Some reformers have proposed explicit federal funding that would substitute for AHCs' loss of revenue from other sources. In this paper Gerard Anderson and colleagues trace the evolution of AHCs and highlight their role in medical R&D. They warn that the imminent shift in funding sources could have serious consequences for the future course of medical innovation. The authors stress the importance of having a well-defined set of priorities and a clear understanding of the factors that foster innovation in AHCs. Anderson, a well-regarded expert in health care finance with a doctorate in pub...

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