Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34048911›Full record

SynthesisJournal of clinical epidemiology2021

Allocation of scarce resources in a pandemic: rapid systematic review update of strategies for policymakers.

Susanne Hempel, Rita Burke, Michael Hochman, Gina Thompson, Annie Brothers, Jennifer Shin, Aneesa Motala, Jody Larkin, Maria Bolshakova, Ning Fu and 1 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of clinical epidemiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Susanne HempelSouthern California Evidence Review Center, University of Southern California, 2001 N. Soto Street, 225D, Los Angeles, CA 90032; RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA. Electronic address: Susanne.Hempel@med.usc.edu.
Rita BurkeUniversity of Southern California, 2001 N. Soto Street, 225B, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA.
Michael HochmanUniversity of Southern California, 1520 San Pablos St, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Gina ThompsonSouthern California Evidence Review Center, University of Southern California, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA.
Annie BrothersRAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA.
Jennifer ShinSouthern California Evidence Review Center, University of Southern California, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA.
Aneesa MotalaSouthern California Evidence Review Center, University of Southern California, 2001 N. Soto Street, 225D, Los Angeles, CA 90032; RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA.
Jody LarkinRAND Corporation, 4570 Fifth Ave #600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
Maria BolshakovaUniversity of Southern California, 2001 N. Soto Street, 225B, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA.
Ning FuShanghai University of Finance and Economics, 318 Wuchuan Road, Wujiaochang, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China; Southern California Review Center, University of Southern California, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA.
Jeanne RingelRAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveIn pandemics like COVID-19, the need for medical resources quickly outpaces available supply. policymakers need strategies to inform decisions about allocating scarce resources. STUDY DESIGN AND

settingWe updated a systematic review on evidence-based approaches and searched databases through May 2020 for evaluation of strategies for policymakers.

resultsThe 201 identified studies evaluated reducing demand for healthcare, optimizing existing resources, augmenting resources, and adopting crisis standards of care. Most research exists to reduce demand (n = 149); 39 higher quality studies reported benefits of contact tracing, school closures, travel restrictions, and mass vaccination. Of 28 strategies to augment resources, 6 higher quality studies reported effectiveness of establishing temporary facilities, use of volunteers, and decision support software. Of 23 strategies to optimize existing resources, 12 higher quality studies reported successful scope of work expansions and building on existing interagency agreements. Of 15 COVID-19 studies, 5 higher quality studies reported on combinations of policies and benefits of community-wide mask policies.

conclusionDespite the volume, the evidence base is limited; few strategies were empirically tested in robust study designs. The review provides a comprehensive overview of the effects of strategies to allocate resources and provides critical appraisal to identify the best available evidence.

Indexed as

Administrative PersonnelPandemicsCOVID-19Health Care RationingHumansMass casualtypolicymakersRapid reviewScarce resourcesSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID34048911
PMCPMC8642033

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.