Editorial

Remembering September 11, 2001, and the Implications for Physician Disaster Preparedness

Authors: G. Richard Holt, MD, MSE, MPH, MABE

Abstract

Who of us does not remember where we were and what we were doing on September 11, 2001? As with the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, the attack on the twin towers and the Pentagon, and the deliberate crashing of the plane in Pennsylvania on September 11 has become our second "Day of Infamy." Although the role of physicians and other upper-level healthcare providers was limited on that day, the resultant "war on terrorism" has involved our healthcare profession to a great extent. What have we learned over the past 10 years and how much better prepared are we as a profession to respond to the medical and ethical challenges inherent in terrorist attacks and other severe disasters?

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References

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