C. Everett Koop Healthcare System for Biosecurity and Defense

The COVID-19 pandemic has expanded the rift between disease prevention and treatment. American healthcare systems desperately need additional capacity to handle pandemic patients, but this should not come at the expense of other patient care demands. As of May 2022, the United States has reached one million deaths due to COVID-19 (Donovan, US Officially Surpasses 1 Million Covid-19 Deaths. Coronavirus Resource Center, 2022). The following paper proposes a series of technological advancements that will one day create a better model to link patients, primary care providers, and specialists through cyberspace, seamlessly connecting and coordinating high-level care regardless of location distance. This suggested model endeavors to increase capacity during pandemics by shifting hospital-level care to community clinics and patient homes through leveraging high-tech and network infrastructure. It prioritizes and shifts medicine’s focus to disease prevention rather than treating disease progression. C. Everett Koop (1916–2013) emphasized public health while practicing medicine and contributed to the development of cybercare, which is why the authors dedicate this chapter to his vision.