Real-Life Decision Making
Mark has been charged with a crime. He is being held in a jail cell awaiting his bail hearing. At the hearing, the judge decides that Mark isn't a threat to society and can be released until his trial date in a few months.
Like others who enter the jail system, Mark has been tested for tuberculosis (TB). "People going into and coming from jail are screened for TB using a skin test," says Mimi Fields. She is a medical officer.
When tested, Mark exhibited some possible symptoms of the disease, including a persistent cough that contained small amounts of blood.
Unfortunately, the results of Mark's tests won't be returned for another week. This means that Mark will be released into the community without the health system knowing if he has tested positive for TB.
TB can be a particularly infectious and virulent disease.
It might be a good idea to find out if Mark has TB before releasing him into the community. On the other hand, the judge has awarded Mark bail and given him permission to leave the jail cell immediately.
As the public health director, you have a decision to make. What do you do?