Simple, fast and affordable triaging pathway for COVID-19.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has placed a significant strain on global health services.
• Patients present to emergency departments with diverse symptoms, necessitating effective patient management strategies.
• Overwhelmed healthcare systems risk compromised patient care and increased mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a succinct triaging pathway for Coronavirus disease 2019 patients.
• To provide a fast, reliable, and affordable method for assessing patient severity.
• To assist healthcare services in managing patient influx during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Clinical assessment of presenting symptoms such as dyspnoea, dry cough, and fever.
• Utilization of imaging investigations like chest X-ray.
• Inclusion of laboratory investigations, including blood analysis and SARS-CoV-2 viral identification.

Main Results:

• The proposed pathway facilitates rapid patient assessment.
• The triaging method is designed to be both reliable and cost-effective.
• Implementation can aid in efficient resource allocation within healthcare facilities.

Conclusions:

• An effective triaging system is crucial for managing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health services.
• The presented pathway offers a practical solution to prevent healthcare system overload.
• This approach supports timely and appropriate patient care during public health crises.