The accuracy of triage classification using Emergency Severity Index

Accurate emergency triage is essential for timely and appropriate care based on patient acuity. We sought to evaluate triage accuracy among emergency department (ED) nurses and examine potential influencing factors.

We conducted an observational study using an electronic medical record chart review of 100 patients admitted at one of three EDs in a large academic medical system in the southern United States from December 1 to 7, 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. We compared the nurses' initial assigned triage acuity level documented in the medical chart with triage acuity assigned using the Emergency Severity Index Version 4 handbook and assessed inter-rater agreement using Cohen's kappa coefficient.

Overall triage accuracy was 67%, with most patients (62%) triaged as ESI level 3; under- and over-triage occurred in 25% and 8% of cases, respectively. Cohen's kappa coefficient was 0.437, indicating moderate interrater reliability between the triage nurses and the ESI handbook. Triage accuracy varied across ED locations and patient characteristics of sex (male: 55.6%, female: 72.3%), type of complaint (trauma: 57.1%, non-trauma: 69.4%), shift (day: 63.5%, night: 73.0%), and mode of arrival (ambulance: 80.8%, ambulatory: 65.2%, and private vehicle: 37.5%).

Triage inaccuracy may be attributed to a combination of nursing- and patient-specific factors. Further study of those factors associated with triage accuracy is warranted.