Healthcare leaders in Arizona say hospitals will soon have to make difficult decisions about treating COVID-19 patients amid rising cases of coronavirus infection overcrowding intensive care units.
The state’s largest hospital chain, Banner Health, in Phoenix, suspended elective surgeries from Friday to release the capacity to treat COVID-19 patients.
According to Banner Health’s clinical head, triage will soon be necessary as the number of cases continues to grow.
According to triage protocols, patients who are less likely to suffer from organ failure and more likely to live longer are placed first in line for treatment.
Arizona was the first state after the outbreak of the virus to adopt the trial protocols for a period in July before the cases subsided.