Triage judgment: “Step in the right direction” - but doubts remain

Created: 12/30/2021Updated: 12/30/2021, 12:36 PM

By: Veronika Ahn-Tauchnitz

If the intensive care beds are full, doctors have to decide who can still be treated.

© Jens Büttner / dpa

When it comes to triage, the Federal Constitutional Court sees the danger that people with disabilities will be disadvantaged.

The legislature should improve.

Doubts remain.

Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen

- How is it determined who will be treated first or at all if there are not enough medical resources for everyone?

Up until now, this triage decision was made by the doctors, who were based on the “clinical-ethical recommendations” of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, which were published at the beginning of the corona pandemic.

Corona and triage: disability officer writes an open letter

Even if it stipulates that a disability should not be used as a criterion for the chances of survival, this fear was always raised. “People with disabilities are very worried and frightened nationwide and also in the district,” wrote the district's disability officer, Ralph Seifert, in an open letter to the hospitals in Bad Tölz and Wolfratshausen (we reported) a year ago. He wanted to sensitize the general public to think about the subject of triage. On Tuesday, the Federal Constitutional Court decided that people with disabilities and previous illnesses must be better protected in a triage situation, that binding recommendations are not sufficient, but that the legislature must issue clear regulations for this.

Triage for the disabled: "I have serious doubts that the situation will get better."

“In general, the verdict is a step in the right direction,” said Seifert when asked by our newspaper. "The federal government is now confronted with the issue and has to deal with it." However, it remains to be seen how politicians actually implement the requirements of the Constitutional Court. "A lot of things are glossed over, if I'm honest, I have serious doubts that the situation will get better." It is already true that a disability should not actually be used as a criterion. However, the general frailty is assessed. And then - so Seifert feared - someone in a wheelchair might only do worse because of their external appearance. That is exactly what should be avoided. "Let's see what politics now make of it."

Coronavirus from Omikron new threat: More vaccinations relieve the health system

In general, the district's disability officer would like to see doctors in clinics “not at all embarrassed to have to think about triage”.

Everyone can contribute to this.

"If vaccinations prevent the course of the disease, triage does not have to be used in the clinics," says Seifert.

In this way, everyone can help to relieve the burden on the health system.

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