Allocating resources during a crisis: you can't always get what you want.
During a disaster or disease outbreak, health care providers may have to make difficult decisions about how to allocate scarce resources. A committee convened by the Minnesota Department of Health has recently focused on this issue as part of statewide disaster preparedness planning. This article presents the group's recommendation that health care facilities need to plan for shortages and introduces resources and strategies that can be used in planning. It also discusses ethical considerations that must be taken into account when shortages occur and decisions must be made about how to distribute equipment, supplies, or medications in short supply.
Hennepin County Medical Center, University of Minnesota, USA.
John L
JL
Hick
Aaron S
AS
DeVries
Paula
P
Fink-Kocken
Jane E
JE
Braun
Judy
J
Marchetti
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008910:Minnesota; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration