As clinicians, we are very much accustomed to the diagnose-and-treat version of medicine. In parallel, the anticipate-and-prevent version of healthcare is no less important. The word anticipate has its origin from the Latin anticipat, literally meaning to act in advance, from anticipare, based on ante- (before) and capere (take). The values of foresight from individual to societal level, from animals to humans, and from business to healthcare sectors have been acknowledged. Inherent to anticipation is the consideration of future possibilities and availabilities of a window period, albeit may only be a short one, for implementation of actions that may influence outcomes. As an example, in anticipation of climate-related health threats, the health care system has a dual role in both adaptation and mitigation.1 In the clinical setting, in anticipation of a possible stormy post-operative course after open heart surgery, the paediatric cardiac intensivist would exhaust means to prevent the occurrence of probably complications.
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