Manchester System: time spent on risk classification and priority of care at an emergency medical service

To assess the time before and time spent on risk classification, priority of care, and destination of patients within 24 hours after their admission to an emergency medical service.

Retrospective cohort study that included adults classified by the Manchester Triage System at the largest emergency medical service in the south of the country in 2012. The data were made available in the form of an electronic sheet and analyzed according to their characteristics and distribution.

Of the 139,556 admissions, half of the patients arrived at classification within the time recommended (7; IQR: 2-20 minutes), and were classified within two (IQR: 1-3) minutes. Lower priority classifications and hospital discharges (88.4%) were more frequent than hospitalizations (11.4%) and deaths (0.2%).

The time involved in activities that precede the first medical care remained within the recommendation. The proportion of lower priority classifications and hospital discharges within 24 hours after classification was high.