Triage and resource allocation during crisis medical surge conditions (pandemics and mass casualty situations)

A position statement of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations

Authors

  • Paul Hoehner Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
  • David H. Beyda University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix
  • William P. Cheshire Mayo Clinic Florida
  • Robert E. Cranston Carle Foundation Hospital
  • John T. Dunlop Yale New Haven Health, Trinity International University
  • John E. Francis Indiana University School of Medicine
  • C. Ben Mitchell Union University
  • Cheyn Onarecker St. Anthony Hospital
  • D. Joy Riley Trinity International University
  • Allen H. Roberts, II Medstar Georgetown University Hospital
  • Dennis M. Sullivan Cedarville University
  • Christine C. Toevs Terre Haute Regional Hospital
  • Ferdinand D. Yates, Jr. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
  • Christopher Hook Mayo Clinic

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15566/cjgh.v7i1.387

Keywords:

triage, resource allocation, resource reallocation, pandemic, epidemic, mass casualty incident, ethics, stewarship

Abstract

The Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA) was founded in 1931 and is made up of the Christian Medical Association (CMA) and the Christian Dental Association (CDA). CMDA has a current membership of over 19,000 physicians, dentists, and other allied health professionals. During and in direct response to the pressing urgencies of the COVID-19 universal pandemic of 2020 the President of CMDA commissioned a special task force to provide current and future Christian reflection and guidance on triage and resource allocation policies during pandemics and other forms of crisis surge medical conditions (e.g., mass casualty situations). This is a condensed version of the CMDA special task force position statement. 

Author Biographies

Paul Hoehner, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

MD, MA (Theological Studies), PhD, Clinical Associate, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon NH, and Professor of Theology, Washington University of Virginia, Neil T. Jones Seminary, Annandale VA

David H. Beyda, University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix

MD, Chair and Professor, Bioethics and Medical Humanism; Professor, Child Health; Director, Global Health Program, University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, AZ

William P. Cheshire, Mayo Clinic Florida

MD, MA(Bioethics), Consultant (Neurlogy), Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL

Robert E. Cranston, Carle Foundation Hospital

MD, MA, MSHA, FAAN, Associate Clinical Professor, CI MED, Neurologist, Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL

John T. Dunlop, Yale New Haven Health, Trinity International University

MD, MA (Bioethics), Geriatrics, Yale - New Haven Health, New Haven, CT, and Adjunct Professor of Bioethics, Trinity International University, Deerfield, IL

John E. Francis, Indiana University School of Medicine

MD, FACS, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN and Unity Surgical Center, Lafayette, IN

C. Ben Mitchell, Union University

MDiv, PhD, Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy, Union University, Jackson, TN

Cheyn Onarecker, St. Anthony Hospital

MD, Residency Director, Family Medicine, St. Anthony Hospital: Oklahoma City, OK

D. Joy Riley, Trinity International University

MD, MA, Adjunct Professor of Bioethics, Trinity International University, Deerfield, IL

Allen H. Roberts, II, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital

MD, MDiv, MA (Bioethics), FCCP, FACP, Professor of Clinical Medicine and Associate Medical Director, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC

Dennis M. Sullivan, Cedarville University

MD, MA (Ethics), Professor Emeritus of Pharmacy Practice, Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH

Christine C. Toevs, Terre Haute Regional Hospital

MD, MA (Bioethics), Trauma Medical Director, Terre Haute Regional Hospital, Terre Haute IN

Ferdinand D. Yates, Jr., Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

MD, MA (Bioethics), Active Associate Pediatrician, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, GA

Christopher Hook, Mayo Clinic

MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Consultant (Hematology), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

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University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Critical Care Medicine. Allocation of scarce critical care resources during a public health emergency; 2020. Available from: https://ccm.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/UnivPittsburgh_ModelHospitalResourcePolicy.pdf.

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Published

2020-05-11

How to Cite

Hoehner, P., Beyda, D. H., Cheshire, W. P., Cranston, R. E., Dunlop, J. T., Francis, J. E., … Hook, C. (2020). Triage and resource allocation during crisis medical surge conditions (pandemics and mass casualty situations): A position statement of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations. Christian Journal for Global Health, 7(1), 45–55. https://doi.org/10.15566/cjgh.v7i1.387

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2020): Special Issue on Addressing the COVID-19 Pandemic

Section

Clinical Care

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