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A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
06:59

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings

Published on: November 9, 2016

Triage: a working solution to over crowding in the emergency department

C P Shah, L M Carr

    Canadian Medical Association Journal
    |May 4, 1974
    PubMed

    Insights

    Emergency departments face overcrowding from non-urgent cases. A triage system at The Hospital for Sick Children effectively directed patients, reducing hospital admissions for non-urgent care seekers.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatrics
    • Emergency Medicine
    • Healthcare Management

    Background:

    • Emergency departments (EDs) are experiencing overcrowding due to a high volume of non-urgent patient visits.
    • This overcrowding strains resources and impacts the care of critically ill patients.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the effectiveness of a triage system implemented at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
    • To assess patient distribution and subsequent healthcare utilization based on triage decisions.

    Main Methods:

    • A retrospective analysis of 13,551 patient visits over a two-month period.
    • Patients were directed to either the main emergency room or a screening clinic (triage) by receptionists.
    • Data collected included patient disposition and primary reasons for visit.

    Main Results:

    • Out of 13,551 patients, 8,368 were sent to the emergency room and 5,183 to the screening clinic.
    • Emergency room patients frequently presented with accidents/injuries (45%) and respiratory illness (19%), with 15% requiring hospital admission.
    • Screening clinic patients predominantly had respiratory illness (49%) and infective diseases (18%), with less than 1% needing hospitalization.

    Conclusions:

    • The triage system successfully diverted a significant number of non-urgent patients to a screening clinic.
    • This strategy appears effective in reducing unnecessary emergency room visits and hospital admissions for non-urgent conditions.
    • Implementing similar triage protocols could alleviate ED overcrowding in pediatric settings.

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