The challenge of disseminating new medical technologies: treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.

Although new health care technologies and procedures can improve the quality of patient care, payers may be reluctant to pay for them, clinicians must be carefully trained to use them effectively, and primary care physicians must keep track of a vast number of developments to make appropriate referrals. This article illustrates the challenges presented by new technology by discussing the cost-quality-access issues raised by technology developed to diagnose and treat cardiac arrhythmias.