Despite medical technological advances, the major killers with which we
must currently contend have remained essentially the same for the past
few decades. Stroke, cancer, and heart disease together account for the
vast majority of deaths in the United States. In addition, due to
improved medical care, many Americans who would previously have died now
survive these disorders, necessitating that they receive appropriate
rehabilitation efforts. One result of our own medical advances is that
we must now accept the high costs associated with providing quality care
to individuals who develop one of these problems, and we must avail
ourselves to assist of afflicted individuals. families Despite the
relative stability of causes of death and disability, the health-care
field is currently experiencing tremendous pressures, both from
professionals with- in the field, who desire more and better technology
than is currently available, and from the public and other payers of
health care (e.g., insurance companies), who seek an end to increasing
health-care costs. These pressures, along with an increased emphasis on
providing evidence of cost-effectiveness and quality assurance, are
substantially changing the way that health-care professionals perform
their jobs.