ICU triage during a crisis: learning from the application of medical and non-medical criteria to patient cases

Project description Suppose all intensive care beds (IC beds) are occupied during a pandemic, how is a fair choice made between patients for whom such a bed is necessary care if one bed becomes available? In the Netherlands, medical and non-medical criteria are used in such a situation. These criteria are included in some scripts, but experience with applying them is lacking. This project aims to tackle the problem by simulating triage with the established criteria through retrospective case histories. What considerations play a role when triage teams apply the criteria? What can be learned from this in preparation for the next crisis? The results are presented to a wide group of stakeholders to gauge public support. Based on the research, e-learning is being developed to help doctors (in training) and aims to better prepare members of triage teams for triage in the event of a shortage of ICU beds.