A health care facility operating under crisis standards of care must do so according to the following guiding principles:
(1)  The focus of crisis standards of care is on saving the most lives with limited health care resources, while maintaining equitable health care access for all patients and residents;

Terms Used In Idaho Code 56-1706

  • Crisis standards of care: means a substantial change in the usual health care operations and the level of care it is possible to deliver, justified by specific circumstances and formally declared by a state government in recognition that crisis operations will be in effect for a sustained period. See Idaho Code 56-1703
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • facility: means a hospital, a nursing facility, or an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities as defined in chapter 13, title 39, Idaho Code, or a residential care or assisted living facility as defined in chapter 33, title 39, Idaho Code. See Idaho Code 56-1703
(2)  No patients or residents will be discriminated against based on disability, race, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, or exercise of conscience or religion;
(3)  In determining candidacy for treatment or access to critical care resources, categorical exclusions are prohibited; and
(4)  Decisions regarding candidacy for treatment should be based on individualized assessments using the best available objective medical evidence.