The Challenge of Allocating Scarce Medical Resources During a Disaster in a Low Income Country: A Case Study from the 2010 Haitian Earthquake

Abstract

Scarce medical resources during a natural disaster challenge the existing protocols for medical intervention. Triage decisions about which patient to care for can be extremely stress-ful for a medical team. This case analysis describes the experience of one mobile field hospital in Haiti in the aftermath of the January 12, 2010 earthquake. The medical team was confronted with the need to choose which of three critically ill patients should receive the remaining, dwindling oxygen supply. The ethical framework around these decisions is discussed. The development of an onsite ethics committee from team members is suggested to help lighten the burden of decision making off of the individual care provider.