As coronavirus, officially called COVID-19, attacks across the globe – amid a vast shortage of life-saving devices – it's a decision more and more doctors every day are being forced to wrestle with, and that could increase if the rationing of ventilators becomes unavoidable.
"Doctors have always exercised some sort of deliberation upon whether medical resources can be beneficial for patients, (and) whether patients can become better through the use of a ventilator," Dr. Holly Wilson, a professor at Louisiana State University Online who specializes in bioethics and medical ethics, told Fox News. "Sometimes, doctors have to consider a medical intervention to be medically futile. It is at that point that the hospital ethics committee steps in and helps make the decision because often the family or surrogate does not agree."
But amid this pandemic, the surrogate and family are often not able to stand by during their loved one's dying days.
"And for that reason, even more, a triage committee or an ethics committee should be involved," Wilson observed. "Doctors should not be overly stressed by having to make a decision that could mean the death of a patient."
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https://www.foxnews.com/health/ventilator-shortage-coronavirus-crisis-doctors-decide-who-lives-dies
11 comments:
The AMA has come out with a guideline that if the patient is 70 or older they don't get a ventilator. Unless they are wealthy and can make a substantial contribution to society.
Why don't they get the ones that that a hole in New York is hoarding
This has not happened and won’t happen. What if’s and maybes. Zero shortage of the machines...
Obama started this with his OBAMACARE / ACA which destroyed HIPA which no longer is enforced. Medical personnel is opening up lawsuit upon lawsuit. They are not GOD. That is the Families decision. When they say the rich lives and the less fortunate dies they are playing GOD. The rich should die first if that is the case, since they are the crooks.
Just like in Italy.
People of a certain age and immunity will not survive on a ventilator any way unless they are on it before day 7 after exposure and by chance they do they will be on one forever.
Some would call it triage in extremis.
Plenty can be made under $200.00 ea on TV news > Get -er-Done !!!
Hospitals are setting up "Death Panels" to decide who gets the vent or not. Thank God I have excellent Insurance. BC & BS very low deductible
New York doctor said he is only putting older Democrats on these machines, he is letting older Republicans die.
One thing is for sure, They better have a damn good excuse for who they choose to let live. This is not going to go over well with any family. They DO NOT get to choose life or death for anyone. And they can bet on one sure thing. Some families will be out for payback. EVERYONE has the right to live. They choose one over another, they had better be ready to accept the consequences of their decision. Crap like this will not go over well at all.
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