Factors impacting readiness to perform secondary population-based triage during the second wave of COVID-19 in Victoria, Australia: Pilot study.

Abstract

Pandemics generate such significant demand for care that traditional triage methods can become saturated. Secondary population-based triage (S-PBT) overcomes this limitation. Although the COVID-19 pandemic forced S-PBT into operation internationally during the first year of the pandemic, Australian doctors were spared this responsibility. However, the second wave of COVID-19 provides an opportunity to explore the lived experience of preparing for S-PBT within the Australian context. To explore the lived experience of preparing to operationalize S-PBT to allocate critical care resources during Australia's second wave of COVID-19 in 2020. Intensivists and emergency physicians working during the second Victorian COVID-19 surge were recruited by purposive non-random sampling. Semi-structured interviews were hosted remotely, recorded, transcribed and coded to facilitate qualitative phenomenological analysis. Six interviews were conducted with an equal mix of intensivists and emergency doctors. Preliminary findings from thematic analysis revealed four themes: (1) threat of resources running; (2) informed decision requiring information; (3) making decisions as we always do; and (4) a great burden to carry. This is the first description of this novel phenomenon within Australia and, in doing so, identified a lack of preparedness to operationalize S-PBT during the second wave of COVID-19 in Australia.