As the COVID-19 pandemic hurdles us to the breaking point of our medical system in various hot spots across the country, we are being forced to face our faults and our fears in the raw. As a first responder, I have seen the issues with providing quality care for everyone in the current environment. Despite all hands on deck, from the assembly lines to the top tiers of government, the rationing of ventilators, masks and even personnel is a matter of daily routine for our health workers. This is especially true in the hardest-hit areas of the country.
States and hospitals are scrambling to issue crisis triage protocols, as front-line medical professionals not only place themselves in harm’s way, but begin to make excruciating decisions on who lives and who dies—decisions for which they’ll be liable later. Meanwhile, disability and patients’ rights advocates are sounding the alarm. Many of the protocols discriminate based on age and disability.
It’s time for fast-tracked federal triage protocols that ethically and legally address our fears while ensuring equal access to care…
Read more at Newsweek…