When the demand for healthcare services surpasses available resources, hospitals face challenging decisions. Effective resource allocation requires assessing the urgency and necessity of treatments, and hospitals may establish frameworks to prioritize patients based on factors such as the severity of their condition, the likelihood of treatment benefit, and overall public health outcomes.
Transparent guidelines are essential to manage expectations and maintain trust. This approach underscores the importance of collaboration among healthcare providers, policymakers, and community stakeholders to create equitable allocation strategies, advocating for ongoing evaluation and adjustment of practices to adapt to changing circumstances and ensure that vulnerable populations receive the care they need.
- Rationing Health Care Resources
- Allocating Scarce Health Care Resources (B)
- Allocates Scarce Health Care Resources (C)
Kenneth Iserson MD, MBA, FACEP, FAAEM Professor of Emergency Medicine Director, Arizona Bioethics Program, The University of Arizona