We see the value of medical technology everyday: younger premature babies are able to survive and thrive; the elderly are living longer, healthier lives; and deaths from cancer and heart disease have declined dramatically, thanks to the early detection made possible through innovation. And studies show that medical technology is a good investment—the value of technology in heart disease alone totals $7 for every dollar expended.  Early, more precise disease detection, minimally invasive surgeries and faster recoveries save money and return people to their lives sooner. Here are some other examples of the value medical technology provides:

• About half of people over the age of 55 are affected by cataracts. Thirty years ago, a new lens implant meant three days in the hospital, four hours in the operating room and days to recover. Today, the procedure is done on an outpatient basis in less than an hour with better outcomes and improved vision.

• Each year, more than 300,000 Americans suffer sudden cardiac death when their hearts fail to beat properly. Implantable cardiac defibrillators can save their lives. In the 1980s, implanting an ICD required two to three weeks in the hospital and the technologies lasted only two years. Today, the procedure takes a day in the hospital, costs a fraction of what it did 20 years ago and the technologies last seven or more years.

• Severe and crippling arthritis affects about 70 million Americans. Replacement hips and knees can restore a person’s vitality. Thirty years ago a total joint replacement required more than 10 days in the hospital, two hours of operating room time and months of recovery. Today, it requires a 45-minute procedure, four days in the hospital, and only a few weeks of recovery time.

• Years ago, discovering if a patient had cancer or heart disease required exploratory surgery. Today, molecular-based or imaging tests can diagnose diseases earlier – without invasive surgery – and enable precise treatment that will work best for individual patients.