Triage - a South African perspective : main topic

Triage is the process of ordering patients according to medical priority. The overall objective is to do the most good for the most people. Hospital triage involves identifying and preferentially treating life-threatening conditions. Ambulance triage systems include colour-coded and 'priority- based' systems. There is lack of uniformity and continuity in triage processes in South Africa. No definitive triage physiological or algorithmic scoring system is currently in use. A uniform national ambulance and hospital-based system would facilitate triage and treatment.