Bioterrorism preparedness through the lens of complexity theory

Abstract

This paper shows how complexity theory can better enable hospitals to prepare for bioterrorism events. It briefly explains the major theoretical dimensions of complexity theory and Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) and shows how healthcare is best viewed as a CAS. It then looks at the specific issue of bioterrorism preparedness, arguing that traditional scientific methodology is inadequate and complexity theory better prepares healthcare organisations for an unpredictable event such as a bioterrorist attack.