HCP faculty members Mary Beth Landrum, Ellen R. Meara, Edward Guadagnoli, and Nancy L. Keating investigated medical care spending across geographic areas and found that increased spending did not always spell better patient outcomes or improved quality of care. In examining the care of patients with colorectal cancer, the researchers found that beneficial care is offset by ineffective care in high-spending areas, suggesting that improved targeting of services could increase the value of medical spending. The study is published in the January/February 2008 issue of Health Affairs.

The study was covered by UPI and several medical websites, including the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, among others. Read the Harvard Medical School press release.