Physicians need to take the necessary steps to ensure continuity of care when a patient with cystic fibrosis is transferred from the pediatric unit to adult 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.
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.
The Model State Emergency Health Powers Act proposes state legislation that should be enacted to ensure an adequate and coordinated response to public health emergencies.
Although civil rights questions come into play, quarantine as an attempt to control an infectious disease can still be used when certain conditions are met.
The threat of bioterrorism in the form of aerosolized smallpox is real, and policy is needed to clarify the risk of disease to the public and recommendations on vaccination.
A Peace Corps physician working in Africa recounts the challenges of obtaining prompt medical treatment for Trypanosomiasis and other tropical diseases in a country where emergency care is not readily available.
An ethical case about terminating a physician-patient relationship arises when an obstetrician decides to refer a young, pregnant patient who is abusing alcohol early in her pregnancy to a colleague who is not as busy.