Triage
Tuesday, 07 September 2010 19:01
This article is about the concept of triage as it occurs in medical emergencies and disasters. For other uses, see Triage (disambiguation).
Typical triage tag. Note 'tear-off' sections for decontamination and patient tracking.
Triage (pronounced /ˈtriːɑːʒ/) is a process of prioritizing patients based on the severity of their condition. This rations patient treatment efficiently when resources are insufficient for all to be treated immediately. The term comes from the French verb trier, meaning to separate, sort, sift or select. There are two types of triage: simple and advanced. The outcome may result in determining the order and priority of emergency treatment, the order and priority of emergency transport, or the transport destination for the patient, based upon the special needs of the patient or the balancing of patient distribution in a mass-casualty setting.
Note: Triage has multiple meanings: The term may also refer to the allocation of space on a priority basis for patients arriving at the emergency department, or to nurse-driven telephone medical advice systems, among others. This article deals with the concept of triage as it occurs in medical emergencies, including the prehospital setting, disasters, and during emergency room treatment.