Assignment
Answer the following questions (2 paragraphs per question). Compose your paper in MS Word.
What do you think of the term medical error as a descriptor of adverse medical outcomes? After all, there are many medical procedures (e.g., invasive surgeries) and treatments (e.g., chemotherapy) that not only are inherently risky, but also cause painful and dangerous (and often unpreventable) side effects (i.e., that lead to "adverse" medical results). Given this fact, is it conceivable that the healthcare delivery system could ever operate free of "error"? Can you think of other terms that better (or more fairly) convey the range of adverse outcomes attending healthcare practice?
What is public health preparedness? How do you define it? What is the role of the public health professional in detecting, responding to, and recovering from a public health emergency?