ABSTRACT
References .............................................................................................................................................. 459 Exercises ............................................................................................................................. 459
As medical technology began to burgeon after World War II, the diagnostic accuracy of new procedures and tests required quantitative evaluation. As new
therapeutic
technology was developed, however, patient care began to offer many scientific challenges beyond diagnostic decisions alone. The additional decisions demanded that clinicians use the technologic information to estimate prognosis, choose and evaluate therapy, and appraise diverse conditions and changes. Nevertheless, most statistical methods for assessing technology have been devoted to the accuracy of diagnostic tests.
