The role of palliative medicine in ICU bed allocation in COVID-19: a joint position statement of the Singapore Hospice Council and the Chapter of Palliative Medicine Physicians

Lalit Kumar Radha Krishna; Han Yee Neo; Elisha Wan Ying Chia; Kuang Teck Tay; Noreen Chan; Patricia Soek Hui Neo; Cynthia Goh; Tan Ying Peh; Min Chiam; James Alvin Yiew Hock Low

doi:10.1007/s41649-020-00128-0

The role of palliative medicine in ICU bed allocation in COVID-19: a joint position statement of the Singapore Hospice Council and the Chapter of Palliative Medicine Physicians

Asian Bioeth Rev. 2020 Jun 1;12(2):205-211. doi: 10.1007/s41649-020-00128-0. eCollection 2020 Jun.

Authors

Lalit Kumar Radha Krishna^{1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9}, Han Yee Neo^{1

2

10}, Elisha Wan Ying Chia^{3

4}, Kuang Teck Tay^{3

4}, Noreen Chan^{1

2

11}, Patricia Soek Hui Neo^{1

2

3}, Cynthia Goh^{1

2

3}, Tan Ying Peh^{1

2

3

12

13}, Min Chiam⁸, James Alvin Yiew Hock Low^{1

2

14}

Affiliations

¹ Singapore Hospice Council Ethics Advisory Committee, Singapore Hospice Council, Singapore.
² Chapter of Palliative Medicine Physicians, College of Physicians, Singapore.
³ Division of Supportive and Palliative Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore.
⁴ Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
⁵ Palliative Care Institute Liverpool, Academic Palliative & End of Life Care Centre, Cancer Research Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
⁶ Centre for Biomedical Ethics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
⁷ Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore.
⁸ Division of Cancer Education, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore.
⁹ PalC, The Palliative Care Centre for Excellence in Research and Education, Singapore.
¹⁰ Department of Palliative Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
¹¹ Division of Palliative Care, National University Hospital, Singapore.
¹² Assisi Hospice, Singapore.
¹³ Lien Center for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore.
¹⁴ Department of Geriatric Medicine, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.

Abstract

Facing the possibility of a surge of COVID-19-infected patients requiring ventilatory support in Intensive Care Units (ICU), the Singapore Hospice Council and the Chapter of Palliative Medicine Physicians forward its position on the guiding principles that ought to drive the allocation of ICU beds and its role in care of these patients and their families.

Keywords: COVID-19; Intensive Care Unit (ICU); Palliative medicine; Resource allocation; Triage; Ventilatory support.