The current health care system is staffed for routine needs. Obviously it is impractical to staff for pandemic needs. Even with a shift in delivery, ie. delaying elective surgeries, there is not much "surge" capacity in the system.

Furthermore, due to the many regulations and restrictions on health care, much available care has become illegal for a person to provide.

We will be worse off in our next true pandemic than people were in 1918.

It's frightening to consider that in the event of a pandemic, Health Care will be different. Since "Bird Flu" entered the vocabulary of the average Joe about 5 years ago, Utah and many other states have put out public service announcements, flyers, and pamphlets explaining that in the event of a pandemic, health care will be different.
It makes sense to me then that we ought to watch out for our own better by being prepared for the "inevitable" changes that will occur in health care by having emergency contact information, emergency training and certification, and a willingness to prepare for the challenges that may accompany us from here on out. Think about it! What would you do if you woke up tomorrow to hear on the morning news that in China a new strain of influenza or pneumonia had been discovered that was catching health care workers off guard and spreading easily from person to person? Would you stay home , would you stock up on water, food, and other essentials, or would you go to work with the assumption that this illness will be as amicable as Swine Flu has thus far been?

You would think in today's modern world there would be some kind of special suit invented so health care providers may assist the afflicted while taking care of/protecting themselves in such a scenario as disscussed. It reminds me of the instructions given on a flight, "Place your air mask on yourself before helping your child." It sounds so barbaric but makes complete sense; what good are we to help others if we can't protect ourselves. Granted, protection doesn't have to entail fleeing. All-in-all, bring on the special, nifty suits and world peace of course.