Triage is integral to the delivery of modern emergency health care.
This paper discusses the triage process concepts and if the process could be improved (ACEM 2013). Triage is a process that is critical to the effective management of modern emergency departments. Triage systems aim, not only to ensure clinical justice for the patient, but also to provide an effective tool for departmental organization, monitoring and evaluation (ACEM 2013).
Table of contents:
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………….4
2. Triage process…………….……………………………………………………….…………….………….6
3. Design. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
4. Conclusion……………..……………………………………………………………………………………..8
5. References. ………………………………………………………………………………………………….9 …show more content…
Observing the flow of patients through the system and developed a value stream map (Eitel et al 2009). Value stream mapping is technique to analyze the flow of materials and information required to bring a product or service to a consumer (Dickson et al 2009).
Provider in triage has shown to be successful the reassignment of a physician and nurse practitioner to triage, coupled with the consolidation of Fast Track into triage, appears to have been effective in reducing the ED patient turnaround time in two ways. First, provider coverage allowed for a large percentage of patients to be discharged directly from triage (Day et al …show more content…
Lower acuity patients Cats 4 or 5 are placed into the treatment area, which consists of several hallway chairs and three small procedure rooms. This area in my department is immediately adjacent to the triage team in the triage area. The NP or physician treats and releases patients placed in the area, apart from the main patient care area. Resource allocation is usually two rooms are used for examinations and the third for minor procedures i.e. small lacerations, casting, foreign body removal, etc. Under this process, lower acuity patients may also be evaluated and treated while seated in ED hallway chairs. Low acuity patients who are uncomfortable with being treated from a chair have the option of waiting for an open bed in the main patient care area (Day et al 2013).
Many studies conclude that utilizing nurse practitioners place in triage have a positive impact on flow and quality.
With this redesign of triage we know that NP standards of care improve flow and treatment through the ED.
Conclusion:
Reviewing current triage process and using concepts from the business world can assist to improve healthcare delivery in the ED. The potential redesigned intervention consisting of adding a physician and nurse practitioner in triage, absorbing fast track into triage and discharging low-acuity patients