Source: STAT News
Title: A system to allocate scarce ventilators and ICU beds gains traction for not counting any group out
Date: April 2, 2020
STEEP Categories: Social, Technological
Brief Description: While hospitals all over the nation brace for the surge of COVID-19 patients, they're
facing shortages of necessary resources to care for the sickest patients. This leaves hospitals, as well
as the government, facing reality where they have to figure out which patients should be prioritized when
they begin to ration. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center developed a strategy for hospitals to
ethically allocate ventilators to patients when faced with shortages.
facing shortages of necessary resources to care for the sickest patients. This leaves hospitals, as well
as the government, facing reality where they have to figure out which patients should be prioritized when
they begin to ration. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center developed a strategy for hospitals to
ethically allocate ventilators to patients when faced with shortages.
Future Implications: For ethical reasons, more hospitals will follow the 8 point system for COVID-19
patients in order to eliminate bias and/or making rational decisions on whose life is more worth saving.
patients in order to eliminate bias and/or making rational decisions on whose life is more worth saving.
Overall Impact: This trend confirms the baseline scenario where medical staff tend to have an implicit
bias among their patients, based on race, gender and age. Due to the shortage of ventilators and ICU
beds in the midst of this pandemic, certain lives are being prioritized over others. With this current 8 point
system being put into place, it helps reduce the onset of implicit bias between different demographics
and makes the rationing decisions more fair.
bias among their patients, based on race, gender and age. Due to the shortage of ventilators and ICU
beds in the midst of this pandemic, certain lives are being prioritized over others. With this current 8 point
system being put into place, it helps reduce the onset of implicit bias between different demographics
and makes the rationing decisions more fair.
Timeliness (0-5): 5
Impact (0-5): 3
Scope (0-5): 2
Likelihood (0-5): 4
Urgency (0-5): 5
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