Role of Technology (continued):

Technology is expected to reduce the risk of a disease, shorten illness duration, improve the quality of care, increase access to care, and replace or limit the decay of a person's function. In addition, technology is expected to contain cost and improve intervention risk management. Acquisition of technology is accomplished for a number of reasons:

• To provide needed services in the community.
• To improve diagnostic and therapeutic efficiency.
• To increase the hospital's cost-effectiveness.
• To reduce risk exposure.
• To attract high quality physicians.
• To expand the referral base or better serve the primary referral base.