Residents and attending physicians have an ethical responsibility to speak up if there is a concern that a colleague lacks clinical skills and is providing inadequate patient care.
Health care policy changes are needed to minimize the risk to physicians responding to public health emergencies and aid in their longer-term responsibility of protecting and promoting the nation's health.
The Institute of Medicine's ground-breaking report on medical errors has helped to make patient safety a priority goal, but the findings of the report are often interpreted by the media.
Many public health officials are calling for mandatory vaccination against smallpox for all emergency medical workers, but the possibility of adverse reactions to the vaccine raises questions of compensation for those injured.
A rural physician who is faced with treating patients outside of his area of specialization should confer with the necessary specialists and make every effort to help patients get the specific care that they need.
A rural physician who is faced with treating patients outside of his area of specialization should confer with the necessary specialists and make every effort to help patients get the specific care that they need.