Table 7.
Studies on how the assessment of the urgency of need to see a physician according to different triage systems could predict hospitalization.
| Author Year, reference Country | Triage system | Patient characteristics: Age Gender | Outcome | Results (Hospital admission frequency per triage level) | Comments | Study quality and relevance: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Gerven R et al 2001, [39] The Netherlands |
ATS | 3 650 patients, Age & sex not given |
Hospital admission | Triage level: 1: 85% 2: 71% 3: 48% 4: 18% 5: 17% p < 0.0001 |
Moderate | |
| Chi CH et al 2006, [16] Taiwan |
ESI2 | 3 172 patients 47 years 47% female |
Hospital admission | Triage level: 1: 96% 2: 47% 3: 31% 4: 7% 5: 7% p < 0.0001 |
- ESI scored in retrospect - Unclear inclusion criteria |
Moderate |
| Wuerz RC et al 2000, [40] USA |
ESI | 493 patients 40 years 52% female |
Hospital admission | Triage level: 1: 92% 2: 61% 3: 36% 4: 10% 5: 0 % p < 0.0001 |
- Unclear inclusion criteria | Low |
| Dent A et al 1999, [35] |
ATS | 42 778 patients Age & sex not given |
Hospital admission | Triage level: 1: 83% 2: 69% 3: 49% 4: 33% 5: 9% p < 0.0001 |
Moderate | |
| Eitel DR et al 2003, [37] USA |
ESI2 | 1 042 patients 7 different EDs 43 years 47% female |
Hospital admission | Triage level: 1: 83% 2: 67% 3: 42% 4: 8% 5: 4% p < 0.001 |
- Not consecutive patients | Moderate |
| Tanabe P et al 2004, [38] USA |
ESI3 | 403 patients 45 years 49% female |
Hospital admission | Triage level: 1: 80% 2: 73% 3: 51% 4: 6% 5: 5% p < 0.001 |
- Not consecutive patients - Retrospective triage |
Low |
| Wuerz RC et al 2001b, [41] USA |
ESI | 8 251 patients Age & sex not given |
Hospital admission | Triage level: 1: 92% 2: 65% 3: 35% 4: 6% 5: 2% p < 0.001 |
- consecutive patients | Moderate |
| Doherty S et al 2003, [36] |
ATS | 84 802 patients Age & sex not given |
Hospital admission | Triage level: 1: 79% 2: 60% 3: 41% 4: 18% 5: 3.1% p < 0.001 |
- consecutive patients | Moderate |
| Maningas PA et al 2006, [6] |
SRTS | 33 850 patients Age 30, 56% female |
Hospital admission | Triage level: 1: 43% 2: 30% 3: 13% 4: 3.0% 5: 1.4% p < 0.0001 |
- consecutive patients | Moderate |
Hospitalization figures (%) are shown for each triage level for patients admitted to a hospital emergency department.
ATS = Australian Triage Scale; ESI = Emergency Severity Index; SRTS = Soterion Rapid Triage Scale.