Triage; a literature review of key concepts

The emergency department (ED) - sometimes termed the emergency room (ER), or the accident & emergency (A&E) department - in a hospital or primary care facility that provides initial treatment to patients with a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries, some of which may be life-threatening or requiring immediate attention. The earliest patients-physician encounter is the triage doctor/nurse who completes the preliminary evaluation before transferring care to another area of the ED or a different department in the hospital. A strong triage system is the backbone of an efficient ED. It indicates that the staff is capable of differentiating critically ill from the sick, and, consequently, of segregating patients who may need admission from those who will not. Thus it is essential for the health professionals to be well-versed with the concepts of triaging. This paper intends to review the basic definitions and the common types of triaging that is used commonly in hospitals.