Rationing care in COVID-19: If we must do it, can we do better?

Kenneth Rockwood

doi:10.1093/ageing/afaa202

Rationing care in COVID-19: If we must do it, can we do better?

Kenneth Rockwood

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a proposal for frailty to be used as a rationing criterion. This commentary suggests circumstances under which that is defensible: In the face of lack of capacity to treat everyone, and as an alternative to age in stratifying risk. How best to stratify risk is likely to evolve and may include information about illness severity and dynamic measures. Current research must focus on mobilizing better, COVID-19-specific prognostic information, with a goal of best discriminating which lives are most and least likely to be saved should scarcity of resources dictate that not everyone can receive critical care.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3-6
Number of pages	4
Journal	Age and Ageing
Volume	50
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa202
Publication status	Published - Jan 1 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Ageing
Geriatrics and Gerontology

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Editorial

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10.1093/ageing/afaa202

Cite this

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abstract = "The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a proposal for frailty to be used as a rationing criterion. This commentary suggests circumstances under which that is defensible: In the face of lack of capacity to treat everyone, and as an alternative to age in stratifying risk. How best to stratify risk is likely to evolve and may include information about illness severity and dynamic measures. Current research must focus on mobilizing better, COVID-19-specific prognostic information, with a goal of best discriminating which lives are most and least likely to be saved should scarcity of resources dictate that not everyone can receive critical care.",

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AB - The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a proposal for frailty to be used as a rationing criterion. This commentary suggests circumstances under which that is defensible: In the face of lack of capacity to treat everyone, and as an alternative to age in stratifying risk. How best to stratify risk is likely to evolve and may include information about illness severity and dynamic measures. Current research must focus on mobilizing better, COVID-19-specific prognostic information, with a goal of best discriminating which lives are most and least likely to be saved should scarcity of resources dictate that not everyone can receive critical care.

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Rationing care in COVID-19: If we must do it, can we do better?

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Access to Document

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