A Detroit hospital has revealed plans to offer dying coronvirus patients ‘comfort’ if it runs out of ventilators just like medics at the Ponte San Pietro Hospital in Bergamo, Italy, pictured (Picture: Backgrid)

A hospital has sent patients and staff a chilling letter explaining how it will only be able to ‘comfort’ people dying of coronavirus when its ventilators run out.

Henry Ford Health System hospitals in Detroit shared its Covid-19 protocols, which said: ‘We currently have a public health emergency that is making our supply of some medical resources hard to find.

‘Because of shortages, we will need to be careful with resources.

‘Patients who have the best chance of getting better are our first priority. Patients will be evaluated for the best plan of care and dying patients will be provided comfort care.’




The letter goes on to say that patients who attend the group’s hospitals should make staff aware of any existing medical conditions, and do not resuscitate orders.

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It continues: ‘If you (or a family member) becomes ill and your medical doctor believes that you need extra care in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or Mechanical Ventilation (breathing machine) you will be assessed for eligibility based only on your specific condition.

The guidance was issued by Henry Ford Medical System hospitals in Detroit as it plans for an influx of coronavirus patients (Picture: Google)

‘Some patients will be extremely sick and very unlikely to survive their illness even with critical treatment. Treating these patients would take away resources for patients who might survive.

‘Patients who are not eligible for ICU or ventilator care will receive treatment for pain control and comfort measures.’

The missive says that patients ineligible for intensive care treatment may include people suffering from heart, liver, kidney or lung failure. In serious cases Covid-19 can cause lung failure and end up killing sufferers.

People with terminal cancer and severe trauma or burns will also be considered lower priority for intensive care should Covid-19 overwhelm the hospital group.

The chilling note adds that anyone on a ventilator will be continuously assessed, and have the equipment withdrawn if they appear unlikely to recover.

It adds: ‘Patients who have ventilator or ICU care withdrawn will receive pain control and comfort measures.’

A copy of the note appeared online earlier this week, with hospital bosses later verifying its contents to the Detroit Free Press.

This week, the CEO of another Michigan hospital group described the coronavirus pandemic as ‘our worst nightmare’ and likened the outbreak to ‘a biological tsunami.’

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has issued a shelter in place order warning residents to stay home until at least April 13.

Her state has seen almost 3,000 coronavirus diagnoses, and 60 deaths.

The full text of the letter sent out by Henry Ford Health System To our patients, families and community: Please know that we care deeply about you and your family’s health and are doing our best to protect and serve you and our community. We currently have a public health emergency that is making our supply of some medical resources hard to find. Because of shortages, we will need to be careful with resources. Patients who have the best chance of getting better are our first priority. Patients will be evaluated for the best plan of care and dying patients will be provided comfort care. What this means for you and your family: 1. Alert staff during triage of any current medical conditions or if you have a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)/Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) or other important medical information. 2. If you (or a family member) becomes ill and your medical doctor believes that you need extra care in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or Mechanical Ventilation (breathing machine) you will be assessed for eligibility based only on your specific condition. 3. Some patients will be extremely sick and very unlikely to survive their illness even with critical treatment. Treating these patients would take away resources for patients who might survive. 4. Patients who are not eligible for ICU or ventilator care will receive treatment for pain control and comfort measures. Some conditions that are likely to may make you not eligible include: severe heart, lung, kidney or liver failure

Terminal cancers

Severe trauma or burns 5. Patients who have ventilator or ICU care withdrawn will receive pain control and comfort measures: 6. Patients who are treated with a ventilator or ICU care may have these treatments stopped if they do not improve over time. If they do not improve this means that the patient has a poor chance of surviving the illness — even if the care was continued. This decision will be based on medical condition and likelihood of getting better. It will not be based on other reasons such as race, gender, health insurance status, ability to pay for care, sexual orientation, employment status or immigration status. All patients are evaluated for survival using the same measures. 7. If the treatment team has determined that you or your family members does not meet criteria to receive critical care or that ICU treatments will be stopped, talk to your doctor. Your doctor can ask for a review by a team of medical experts (a Clinical Review Committee evaluation.)