KYW Newsradio's Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It isn't talked about often, but there is one fear for doctors and nurses that is greater than any other.
Just about everyone on the front lines has developed strategies to avoid anxiety and fear about COVID-19 exposure, but in health care, most of us have a fear that may even be greater than contracting the virus: being forced to make life and death decisions because the system is overwhelmed.
This was close to happening in New York and a similar flood of cases is occurring in Los Angeles and several other cities.
In these locations, hospital officials have activated triage teams which include doctors, community members, bioethics specialists and spiritual care providers to make the difficult but necessary decisions about allocating limited resources.
Thus far, there have been successful steps to redirect resources to accommodate overwhelming numbers.
