Table 2.

Strategies for Scarce Resource Situations.²⁷–³⁰

Prepare—e.g., anticipate challenges, develop plans, stockpile materials. Identify leaders who can source or develop alternative supplies and equipment. Identify and train risk communicators. Plan to mitigate personnel difficulties in responding. Conserve—implement conservation strategies for supplies in shortage or anticipated shortage to ensure the minimum impact/compromise possible (e.g., determining “at-risk” groups with priority for therapies in shortage and overall strategies to conserve use of oxygen delivery devices [i.e., ventilators] or PPE. Substitute—provide an equivalent or near-equivalent medication or delivery device. Adapt—use of equipment for alternative purposes (e.g., anesthesia machine as ventilator) Re-use—plan to re-use a wide variety of materials after appropriate disinfection or sterilization (e.g., may include oxygen delivery devices). Re-allocate—if no alternatives exist, remove a resource from one area/patient and allocate to another who has a higher likelihood of benefit (i.e., greater chance of surviving or more post-disease years to live).

PPE, personal protective equipment.