"Decisions are made according to medical expertise!"

Yesterday, Wednesday, there was widespread discussion across Germany about an alleged first instance of triage in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, which is said to have taken place at the Zittau Hospital.

Erik Hahn, a professor in the Faculty of Business Administration and Engineering Management, gave an interview to the Sächsische Zeitung providing context on this matter.

In it, the medical law expert concludes—based on his assessment of the extensive media coverage—that the events at the hospital did not, strictly speaking, constitute triage “as it is discussed from an ethical perspective.”

As an expert in health law, Erik Hahn has frequently dealt extensively with the topic of triage. The term, which originates from military medicine, refers to the necessity, in the event of a disaster, of deciding—due to a lack of resources—which patient receives appropriate treatment—namely, the one with the greatest chance of survival.

“To my knowledge, there has not yet been a case in Germany where triage had to be performed in connection with a specific illness,” he explains in the SZ article.

Last September, the SZ newspaper conducted a lengthy interview with Professor Hahn on the same topic and explored the question of the extent to which triage courts are needed in the current crisis, as the question of who should be treated first when the healthcare system is overwhelmed has not yet been regulated by law. The interview can be read again here.