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@JournalofEthics) features an interview with Matthew Wynia, MD, MPH, professor of medicine and public health and director of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado in Denver. Dr. Wynia outlined the tough decisions administrators and physicians face when confronted with rapidly dwindling resources.
Dr. Wynia also serves on the Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Last year, he co-wrote a National Academy of Medicine discussion paper on COVID-19 crisis standards of care.
No blame or shame
No blame or shame
State officials often don’t want to take responsibility for activating crisis standards of care because doing so “implies that their planning to avoid crisis standards of care didn t work,” Dr. Wynia said.