Expectations of emergency patients regarding triage system knowledge upon arrival: an interpretive study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Education
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Understanding emergency department (ED) triage is crucial for healthcare.
• Patient awareness of triage procedures in Jordanian EDs is largely unassessed.
• This study evaluates patient knowledge of triage in Jordan.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the level of awareness among Jordanian patients regarding the emergency department triage procedure.
• To identify factors influencing patient understanding of triage systems.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in a major public hospital in Jordan.
• A self-administered questionnaire using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) survey was employed.
• 726 participants were recruited, achieving a 90.8% response rate.

Main Results:

• The study included 726 participants aged 18-89, with a mean age of 38.1 years.
• Over half of the participants were male (52.8%) and married (58.5%).
• Significant relationships were found between perception of a teaching hospital and educational level, job, nationality, and income.

Conclusions:

• Further investigation is needed to understand the reasons behind low triage system awareness.
• Recommendations include increasing staff levels, providing ongoing nursing education and training.
• Integrating technology and automation is suggested to alleviate patient care burdens.