Ethics and public health

For me was always difficult to separate the ethics of public health professionals from the ones of the general public. Last class we discuss several issues involving ethics and in some of them i could not tell if we are not talking about general ethic of conduct. Particularly in settings where human writhes are violated this becomes more difficult.

Healthcare financing

The problem is clear, but what about the solutions to finance halthcare in this increasing pattern of raising costs.
Is it viable to redesign from zero the entire system? Sounds unrealistic....but, does small changes really make a difference? Does something that affects 2% (for example: savings accounts) of the population has the potential of make any change. Maybe this time its time to see other countries solutions to try to replicate the good leassons learns.

Aproptiate response?

After our last discussion I keep thinking what is the burden between alarming and response to a threat. Of course Public health system does not want to create panic, but we want to give a prompt response. What would happened with SARS if we did not response in the way we did....now body knows, but experts said the action taken where appropriate. How we prepare for a pandemic? how sensitive should be the surveillance system? I assume we can use the popular fraze, It is better prevent than cure.

Technology innovations

What happened with the promotion of certain technology innovations that are not reaching the whole society?In the video that we saw last class there where a lot of things that where very innovative and interesting but, are they for everyone that wont to use it? How we can subsidize them so everyone can benefit. What do you think about a subsidy from the users of this technology or form the manufacturers or even in some cases from the government to make them more accessible.

Technology and regulations.

Innovations are good thing if we use it to achieve better health outcomes. Last class I learn that the agency in charge of the regulations will not focus in the economic aspect of the new technology just in the efficacy and the security of the new innovations. But up to what extend the raising in the health cost that we are experience is because of excessive use of expensive technologies. I can imagine that there is a link between those.
One possible suggestion is that they made recommendations for the use of the new technologies.
For example the American Academy of pediatrics does this and for the consumer is very useful. Sometimes decide without advice could be very difficult, specially when something so important as health is involved.And as public health professionals we wont people to be informed by neutrals players as much as possible, if they do not made recommendations there will be others that will take this role,with the potential risk of having economic interests involved.

Mental and body health?

Last night we discuss among other issues mental health, and several times during the discussion I heard the Fraze "psychosomatic illness" It is very strange for me, that I am a Medical doctor and a Homeopathic patient and I never could understood how can not all the disease been psychosomatic. How can you take your perception and your personal feelings from the perspective of a disease....is it for everyone the same or each individual experience different sensation associate with their perceptions, and specially if we are taking about mental health.
I hope this make sense for you...

The role of the medical doctors

During our last class we discuss the role of the medical doctors.
What we want form the medical community?. In our discussion it seams that we expect that they do more than cure disease, but how is their training in medical school? I was surprise tha one of our classmates mention that there is no public health class in the medical curriculum here. When I went to med school even it was not the most "popular" class we take at least an introduction to public health. I think it might be a good idea to introduce it in the curriculum specially if its for the benefit of the majority of the population.