Scarce Resource Allocation in a Pandemic: A Protocol to Promote Equity, Timeliness, and Transparency.
Crit Care Explor
; 3(6): e0466, 2021 Jun.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1268084
ABSTRACT
Shortages of equipment, medication, and staff under coronavirus disease 2019 may force hospitals to make wrenching decisions. Although bioethical guidance is available, published procedures for decision-making processes to resolve the time-sensitive conflicts are rare. Failure to establish decision-making procedures before scarcities arise exposes clinicians to moral distress and potential legal liability, entrenches existing systemic biases, and leaves hospitals without processes to guarantee transparency and consistency in the application of ethical guidelines. Formal institutional processes can reduce the panic, inequity, and irresolution that arise from confronting ethical conflicts under duress. Drawing on expertise in critical care medicine, bioethics, and political science, we propose a decision-making protocol to ensure fairness in the resolution of conflict, timely decision-making, and accountability to improve system response.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
English
Journal:
Crit Care Explor
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
CCE.0000000000000466
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS