HOSA writing evidence

COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

Trend: Government intervention improves public health outcomes during emergencies. Example: Federal vaccine distribution reduced hospital overload and ICU capacity during the pandemic.

Opioid Epidemic

Trend: Poor regulation of medications can create population-level health crises. Example: Overprescription of opioid painkillers led to widespread addiction and increased overdose deaths.

Rural Hospital Closures

Trend: Healthcare access depends on system infrastructure and funding. Example: Patients in rural areas must travel hours for emergency care after local hospitals shut down.

Medicare System

Trend: Government-run healthcare can operate effectively at national scale. Example: Medicare provides insurance coverage to most Americans over age 65.

FDA Medical Device Approval

Trend: Regulation increases patient safety in healthcare technology. Example: The FDA requires clinical testing before medical devices or software are used on patients.

AI Diagnostic Bias

Trend: Artificial intelligence can worsen healthcare inequality if poorly designed. Example: Some AI tools misdiagnose minority patients due to biased training data.

Organ Transplant Waitlists

Trend: Medical resource scarcity forces ethical prioritization. Example: Hospitals choose transplant recipients based on urgency and survival probability.

End-of-Life Treatment

Trend: Medical technology raises ethical questions about quality vs length of life. Example: Terminal patients often receive aggressive treatment with little benefit.

Insulin Drug Pricing

Trend: High drug prices reduce treatment adherence and worsen patient outcomes. Example: Diabetic patients ration insulin, leading to preventable emergencies.

Medicare Drug Negotiation Policy

Trend: Government negotiation can lower healthcare system costs. Example: Medicare is now allowed to negotiate prescription drug prices to reduce spending.