Triage rapid initial assessment by doctor (TRIAD) improves waiting time and processing time of the emergency department

Aim: To evaluate the effect of triage rapid initial assessment by doctor (TRIAD) on waiting time and processing time of an emergency department (ED) without extra staff. Method: A senior emergency doctor was put into triage instead of a consultation cubicle for seven shifts of 9 hours each. All the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Emergency medicine journal : EMJ 2006-04, Vol.23 (4), p.262-265
Main Authors: Choi, Y F, Wong, T W, Lau, C C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
emergency department
Emergency medical care
Emergency Service, Hospital - organization & administration
Health Services Research
Hong Kong
Hospitals
Humans
Medical Staff, Hospital - organization & administration
Original
Patient Care Team - organization & administration
Patients
processing time
Qualitative research
Radiography
Radiology - organization & administration
Time Factors
TRIAD
triage
Triage - organization & administration
triage rapid initial assessment by doctor
Waiting Lists
waiting time
Workforce planning
Wounds and Injuries - therapy
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Aim: To evaluate the effect of triage rapid initial assessment by doctor (TRIAD) on waiting time and processing time of an emergency department (ED) without extra staff. Method: A senior emergency doctor was put into triage instead of a consultation cubicle for seven shifts of 9 hours each. All the patients were assessed and necessary interventions started at the time of triage. Waiting time and processing time of various categories of patients were compared with a control group that was sampled during the week before the trial period. Results: In total, there were 1310 cases in the trial period and 1355 controls. Over a quarter (27%) of the patients received triage doctor interventions. The average waiting time was reduced by 38% and the average processing time by 23%. Patients without triage intervention also had a 24% shorter waiting time because of overall improvement in efficiency. Trauma patients and patients needing radiography particularly benefited from the new system. The waiting time and processing time of category 4 and 5 patients improved significantly as a result of more efficient processing of more urgent cases. Conclusion: The waiting time and processing time of the ED were greatly reduced by TRIAD without extra manpower.
ISSN:1472-0205
1472-0213
DOI:10.1136/emj.2005.025254