American College of Emergency Physicians
December 31, 2020
Georgia hospital officials interviewed said that they hoped never to make such calls. But calls with lower stakes are already being made.
“People don’t like to hear about the idea of rationing care, and hospitals don’t like to talk about it because it is a PR disaster. But it will become a reality once you run out space and devices, and don’t have enough health care workers,” said Dr. Ryan Stanton, a board member with the American College of Emergency Physicians based in Kentucky. He said much of the country is “teetering on the edge” of hospital capacity.
Americans assume they will have access to high levels, almost perfection levels, of health care, Stanton said. “But the sobering reality is when people go to the hospital, this may no longer be the case.”
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