Therapeutic evolution and health policy in the late 20th century regarding the rise and fall of cardiac revascularization

The Foundation's Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research Program was designed to produce major works from senior and new investigators that would add to the health policy field's knowledge base.This research project sets out to analyze the history of the leading techniques of myocardial revascularization, coronary artery bypass surgery and percutaneous coronary intervention, as a case study of the obstacles to the implementation of evidence based medicine. The research undertakes analyses of how physicians' beliefs about disease models provide a physiological rationale for specific treatment interventions, the obstacles to the recognition of treatment complications, and how physicians respond to evidence of non-evidence based practice. These historical analyses of how medical decisions get made will inform clinical practice and health policy today. The goal of the project is to produce both books and articles for diverse audiences. The manuscript for the book, Heart Attacks: Blind Spots: Historical Reflections on the Blind Spots in Cardiac Therapeutics, is nearly complete and will be published in 2012 by the Johns Hopkins University Press. Upon the final submission of this manuscript, the manuscript for a second book, On the Origins of Therapies will be developed. In addition to the development of book manuscripts, several articles will be written for publication in peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Translational Medicine and Health Affairs.

Grant Details

Amount Awarded $59,886.00

Awarded on: 7/29/2011

Time frame: 8/15/2011 - 7/14/2013

Grant Number: 69275