Table 1

April 2020 multi-principle allocation framework for scarce intensive care unit beds and ventilators

PrincipleCriterionPoint system
+1+2+3+4
Promote population health outcomes Prognosis for hospital survival (using a risk prediction score score) Quartile 1
lowest risk of death
(ie, risk of death <25%)
Quartile 2
(ie, risk of death 25%–49%)
Quartile 3
(ie, risk of death 50%–75%)
Quartile 4
highest risk of death
(ie, risk of death >75%)
Prognosis for near-term survival (individualised clinical judgment) Death expected in
1–5 years
Death expected within 1 year from end stage
condition
Promote justice/equity Priority to frontline essential workers Subtract one point from Triage Priority Score if the patient is an essential worker in a high-risk occupation.*
Priority to those who have had the least chance to live through life’s stages Tiebreaker: In the event that two patients have identical Triage Priority Scores, give priority to the younger patient when a significant age difference exists.
Equal chances Second tiebreaker: In the event that two patients have identical Triage Priority Scores and are of similar ages, use random selection to determine who receives the resource.
  • *This equity-focused criterion could also be operationalized as a tiebreaker.