Health Affairs, 22, no. 4 (2003): 241-248 doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.22.4.241 © 2003 by Project HOPE	New Online   Obama's Success & Next Steps   3 Health Policy Options for President Obama   A Hybrid Proposal   Bipartisan Compromise

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Update

STATE REPORT

A Prescription For Change: The Need For Qualified Physician Leadership In Public Health

A key element missing in the federal bioterrorism preparedness plan is qualified physician leadership at the local level. Physicians now lead fewer than one-fourth of local health departments. When appointed leaders are not physicians, leadership falls on elected officials or non–medical administrators who become managers of outbreaks. As illustrated in recent case examples, these leaders may find themselves in medical emergencies that they are not qualified to handle. In serious disease outbreaks, unprepared leadership could contribute to unnecessary illness and death. Here I propose strategies to increase qualified physician leadership in state and local public health infrastructures.

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