A New Resource-Constrained Triage Method Applied to Victims of Penetrating Injury

Development of an Anticipatory Triage-Ranking Algorithm Using Dynamic Simulation of the Expected Time Course of Patients With Trauma: Modeling and Simulation Study

BACKGROUND

In cases of terrorism, disasters, or mass casualty incidents, far-reaching life-and-death decisions about prioritizing patients are currently made using triage algorithms that focus solely on the patient's current health status rather than their prognosis, thus leaving a fatal gap of patients who are under- or overtriaged.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this proof-of-concept study is to demonstrate a novel approach for triage that no longer classifies patients into triage categories but ranks their urgency according to the anticipated survival time without intervention. Using this approach, we aim to improve the prioritization of casualties by respecting individual injury patterns and vital signs, survival likelihoods, and the availability of rescue resources.

METHODS

We designed a mathematical model that allows dynamic simulation of the time course of a patient's vital parameters, depending on individual baseline vital signs and injury severity. The 2 variables were integrated using the well-established Revised Trauma Score (RTS) and the New Injury Severity Score (NISS). An artificial patient database of unique patients with trauma (N=82,277) was then generated and used for analysis of the time course modeling and triage classification. Comparative performance analysis of different triage algorithms was performed. In addition, we applied a sophisticated, state-of-the-art clustering method using the Gower distance to visualize patient cohorts at risk for mistriage.

RESULTS

The proposed triage algorithm realistically modeled the time course of a patient's life, depending on injury severity and current vital parameters. Different casualties were ranked by their anticipated time course, reflecting their priority for treatment. Regarding the identification of patients at risk for mistriage, the model outperformed the Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment's triage algorithm but also exclusive stratification by the RTS or the NISS. Multidimensional analysis separated patients with similar patterns of injuries and vital parameters into clusters with different triage classifications. In this large-scale analysis, our algorithm confirmed the previously mentioned conclusions during simulation and descriptive analysis and underlined the significance of this novel approach to triage.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study suggest the feasibility and relevance of our model, which is unique in terms of its ranking system, prognosis outline, and time course anticipation. The proposed triage-ranking algorithm could offer an innovative triage method with a wide range of applications in prehospital, disaster, and emergency medicine, as well as simulation and research.

Comparative Analysis Of Triage Systems At Emergency Departments Of Different Countries: Implementation In Kazakhstan

Medical sorting is aimed at assessment of disease severity and has to be carried out within a short time to determine the priorities for patient care and transportation to the most appropriate place for future treatment. The goal of this study was to provide an integrative review by analyzing the publications on the most common triage systems worldwide in order to select and implement the most reliable system at emergency departments. We searched for publications relevant to our comparative analysis in evidence-based medicine databases. A total of 1,740 literary sources were identified, of which 42 were selected for analysis. Comparative analysis of different triage systems may help implementing the most efficient system in Kazakhstan. The Emergency Severity Index is considered the most reliable and accurate tool used in international practice, and it could provide a basis for introduction of triage system at emergency departments in Kazakhstan.

Development of Trauma Level Prediction Models Using Emergency Medical Service Vital Signs to Reduce Over- and Undertriage Rates in Penetrating Wounds and Falls of the Elderly

Determining triage activation levels in geriatric patients who fall (GF), and patients with penetrating wounds can be difficult and inaccurate, resulting in excessive overtriage (OT) and undertriage (UT) rates. We developed trauma activation prediction models using field data to predict with greater accuracy trauma activation level and triage rates consistent with the ACS recommendations. Using data from the 2014 National Trauma Data Bank, we created binary regression equations for each type of injury (GF and penetrating wounds). The 2014 data were randomized and divided into two halves. The first half for each injury type was used to generate prediction models, whereas the second half of the 2014 data were combined with 2013 and 2015 National Trauma Data Bank data for model verification. Binary regression equations were generated from vital signs collected by EMS. A Cribari grid with ISS ≥ 15 was used to determine the appropriateness of activation level. Chi-square analysis was used to determine significant differences between OT, UT, and accuracy predictions. Using our triage models, we were able to obtain UTrates of less than 4 per cent for GF with OT rates of less than 40 per cent, UT rates less than 4.1 per cent and OT of less than 50 per cent for patients with gunshot wounds, and UTrates less than 4 per cent and OT rates less than 25 per cent for patients who had stab wounds. Our developed trauma level prediction models enable health providers to predict trauma activation levels that can result in OT and UT rates in the recommended ranges by the ACS.

Comparing the Accuracy of Three Pediatric Disaster Triage Strategies: A Simulation-Based Investigation

Background

It is unclear which pediatric disaster triage (PDT) strategy yields the best accuracy or best patient outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis on a sample of emergency medical services providers from a prospective cohort study comparing the accuracy and triage outcomes for 2 PDT strategies (Smart and JumpSTART) and clinical decision-making (CDM) with no algorithm. Participants were divided into cohorts by triage strategy. We presented 10-victim, multi-modal disaster simulations. A Delphi method determined patients’ expected triage levels. We compared triage accuracy overall and for each triage level (RED/Immediate, YELLOW/Delayed, GREEN/Ambulatory, BLACK/Deceased).

Results

There were 273 participants (71 JumpSTART, 122 Smart, and 81 CDM). There was no significant difference between Smart triage and CDM. When JumpSTART triage was used, there was greater accuracy than with either Smart (P<0.001; OR [odds ratio]: 2.03; interquartile range [IQR]: 1.30, 3.17) or CDM (P=0.02; OR: 1.76; IQR: 1.10, 2.82). JumpSTART outperformed Smart for RED patients (P=0.05; OR: 1.48; IQR: 1.01,2.17), and outperformed both Smart (P<0.001; OR: 3.22; IQR: 1.78,5.88) and CDM (P<0.001; OR: 2.86; IQR: 1.53,5.26) for YELLOW patients. Furthermore, JumpSTART outperformed CDM for BLACK patients (P=0.01; OR: 5.55; IQR: 1.47, 20.0).

Conclusion

Our simulation-based comparison suggested that JumpSTART triage outperforms both Smart and CDM. JumpSTART outperformed Smart for RED patients and CDM for BLACK patients. For YELLOW patients, JumpSTART yielded more accurate triage results than did Smart triage or CDM. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:253–260)

Do you see what I see? Insights from using google glass for disaster telemedicine triage

INTRODUCTION

Disasters are high-stakes, low-frequency events. Telemedicine may offer a useful adjunct for paramedics performing disaster triage. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of telemedicine in disaster triage, and to determine whether telemedicine has an effect on the accuracy of triage or the time needed to perform triage.

METHODS

This is a feasibility study in which an intervention team of two paramedics used the mobile device Google Glass (Google Inc; Mountain View, California USA) to communicate with an off-site physician disaster expert. The paramedic team triaged simulated disaster victims at the triennial drill of a commercial airport. The simulated victims had preassigned expected triage levels. The physician had an audio-video interface with the paramedic team and was able to observe the victims remotely. A control team of two paramedics performed disaster triage in the usual fashion. Both teams used the SMART Triage System (TSG Associates LLP; Halifax, England), which assigns patients into Red, Yellow, Green, and Black triage categories. The paramedics were video recorded, and their time required to triage was logged. It was determined whether the intervention team and the control team varied regarding accuracy of triage. Finally, the amount of time the intervention team needed to triage patients when telemedicine was used was compared to when that team did not use telemedicine.

RESULTS

The two teams triaged the same 20 patients. There was no significant difference between the two groups in overall triage accuracy (85.7% for the intervention group vs 75.9% for the control group; P = .39). Two patients were triaged with telemedicine. For the intervention group, there was a significant difference in time to triage patients with telemedicine versus those without telemedicine (35.5 seconds; 95% CI, 72.5-143.5 vs 18.5 seconds; 95% CI, 13.4-23.6; P = .041).

CONCLUSION

There was no increase in triage accuracy when paramedics evaluating disaster victims used telemedicine, and telemedicine required more time than conventional triage. There are a number of obstacles to available technology that, if overcome, might improve the utility of telemedicine in disaster response.

Use of an agent-based simulation model to evaluate a mobile-based system for supporting emergency evacuation decision making

Recently, mass casualty incidents (MCIs) have been occurring frequently and have gained international attention. There is an urgent need for scientifically proven and effective emergency responses to MCIs, particularly as the severity of incidents is continuously increasing. The emergency response to MCIs is a multi-dimensional and multi-participant dynamic process that changes in real-time. The evacuation decisions that assign casualties to different hospitals in a region are very important and impact both the results of emergency treatment and the efficiency of medical resource utilization. Previously, decisions related to casualty evacuation were made by an incident commander with emergency experience and in accordance with macro emergency guidelines. There are few decision-supporting tools available to reduce the difficulty and psychological pressure associated with the evacuation decisions an incident commander must make. In this study, we have designed a mobile-based system to collect medical and temporal data produced during an emergency response to an MCI. Using this information, our system's decision-making model can provide personal evacuation suggestions that improve the overall outcome of an emergency response. The effectiveness of our system in reducing overall mortality has been validated by an agent-based simulation model established to simulate an emergency response to an MCI.

A better START for low-acuity victims: data-driven refinement of mass casualty triage

OBJECTIVE

Methods currently used to triage patients from mass casualty events have a sparse evidence basis. The objective of this project was to assess gaps of the widely used Simple Triage and Rapid Transport (START) algorithm using a large database when it is used to triage low-acuity patients. Subsequently, we developed and tested evidenced-based improvements to START.

METHODS

Using the National Trauma Database (NTDB), a large set of trauma victims were assigned START triage levels, which were then compared to recorded patient mortality outcomes using area under the receiver-operator curve (AUC). Subjects assigned to the "Minor/Green" level who nevertheless died prior to hospital discharge were considered mistriaged. Recursive partitioning identified factors associated with of these mistriaged patients. These factors were then used to develop candidate START models of improved triage, whose overall performance was then re-evaluated using data from the NTDB. This process of evaluating performance, identifying errors, and further adjusting candidate models was repeated iteratively.

RESULTS

The study included 322,162 subjects assigned to "Minor/Green" of which 2,046 died before hospital discharge. Age was the primary predictor of under-triage by START. Candidate models which re-assigned patients from the "Minor/Green" triage level to the "Delayed/Yellow" triage level based on age (either for patients >60 or >75), reduced mortality in the "Minor/Green" group from 0.6% to 0.1% and 0.3%, respectively. These candidate START models also showed net improvement in the AUC for predicting mortality overall and in select subgroups.

CONCLUSION

In this research model using trauma registry data, most START under-triage errors occurred in elderly patients. Overall START accuracy was improved by placing elderly but otherwise minimally injured-mass casualty victims into a higher risk triage level. Alternatively, such patients would be candidates for closer monitoring at the scene or expedited transport ahead of other, younger "Minor/Green" victims.

Design and development of a mobile-based system for supporting emergency triage decision making

Emergency care for mass casualty incidents is a sophisticated multi-participant process. To manage this process effectively, many information systems have been proposed. However, their performance in improving the efficiency and accuracy of patient triage is not satisfactory. This paper is concerned with the development of a mobile-based system for supporting emergency triage in the emergency care process for mass casualty incidents. This system collects the patient's emergency data throughout the whole emergency care process through a mobile application and data transfer mechanism. Using a Cox proportional hazard model, the system has the capacity to present the survival curve to the triage officer, helping him/her to make triage and transportation decisions. This system offers an alternative injury assessment tool based on the vital signs data of the injury patient. With the help of this system, the triage officer can more directly and comprehensively learn about each patient's situation and deterioration without additional operations at the incident site.

Systematic review of strategies to manage and allocate scarce resources during mass casualty events

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Efficient management and allocation of scarce medical resources can improve outcomes for victims of mass casualty events. However, the effectiveness of specific strategies has never been systematically reviewed. We analyze published evidence on strategies to optimize the management and allocation of scarce resources across a wide range of mass casualty event contexts and study designs.

METHODS

Our literature search included MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Global Health, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, from 1990 through late 2011. We also searched the gray literature, using the New York Academy of Medicine's Grey Literature Report and key Web sites. We included both English- and foreign-language articles. We included studies that evaluated strategies used in actual mass casualty events or tested through drills, exercises, or computer simulations. We excluded studies that lacked a comparison group or did not report quantitative outcomes. Data extraction, quality assessment, and strength of evidence ratings were conducted by a single researcher and reviewed by a second; discrepancies were reconciled by the 2 reviewers. Because of heterogeneity in outcome measures, we qualitatively synthesized findings within categories of strategies.

RESULTS

From 5,716 potentially relevant citations, 74 studies met inclusion criteria. Strategies included reducing demand for health care services (18 studies), optimizing use of existing resources (50), augmenting existing resources (5), implementing crisis standards of care (5), and multiple categories (4). The evidence was sufficient to form conclusions on 2 strategies, although the strength of evidence was rated as low. First, as a strategy to reduce demand for health care services, points of dispensing can be used to efficiently distribute biological countermeasures after a bioterrorism attack or influenza pandemic, and their organization influences speed of distribution. Second, as a strategy to optimize use of existing resources, commonly used field triage systems do not perform consistently during actual mass casualty events. The number of high-quality studies addressing other strategies was insufficient to support conclusions about their effectiveness because of differences in study context, comparison groups, and outcome measures. Our literature search may have missed key resource management and allocation strategies because of their extreme heterogeneity. Interrater reliability was not assessed for quality assessments or strength of evidence ratings. Publication bias is likely, given the large number of studies reporting positive findings.

CONCLUSION

The current evidence base is inadequate to inform providers and policymakers about the most effective strategies for managing or allocating scarce resources during mass casualty events. Consensus on methodological standards that encompass a range of study designs is needed to guide future research and strengthen the evidence base. Evidentiary standards should be developed to promote consensus interpretations of the evidence supporting individual strategies.

Using the Model of Resource and Time-Based Triage (MORTT) to Guide Scarce Resource Allocation in the Aftermath of a Nuclear Detonation

Conventional triage algorithms assume unlimited medical resource availability. After a nuclear detonation, medical resources are likely to be particularly limited, suggesting that conventional triage algorithms need to be rethought. To test various hypotheses related to the prioritization of victims in this setting, we developed the model of resource- and time-based triage (MORTT). This model uses information on time to death, probability of survival if treated and if untreated, and time to treat various types of traumatic injuries in an agent-based model in which the time of medical practitioners or materials can be limited. In this embodiment, MORTT focuses solely on triage for surgical procedures in the first 48 hours after a nuclear detonation. MORTT determines the impact on survival based on user-selected prioritization of victims by severity or type of injury. Using MORTT, we found that in poorly resourced settings, prioritizing victims with moderate life-threatening injuries over victims with severe life-threatening injuries saves more lives and reduces demand for intensive care, which is likely to outstrip local and national capacity. Furthermore, more lives would be saved if victims with combined injury (ie, trauma plus radiation >2 Gy) are prioritized after nonirradiated victims with similar trauma.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2011;5:S98-S110)

Design, validity, and reliability of a pediatric resident JumpSTART disaster triage scoring instrument

OBJECTIVE

To design an instrument for scoring residents learning pediatric disaster triage (PDT), and to test the validity and reliability of the instrument.

METHODS

We designed a checklist-based scoring instrument including PDT knowledge and skills and performance, as well as a global assessment. Learners' performance in a 10-patient school bus crash simulation was video recorded and scored with the instrument. Learners triaged the patients with a color-coded algorithm (JumpSTART, Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment). Three evaluators observed the recordings and scored triage performance for each learner. Internal and construct validity of the instrument were established via comparison of resident performance by postgraduate year (PGY) and correlating instrument items with overall score. Validity was assessed with analysis of variance and the D statistic. We calculated evaluators' intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for each patient, skill, triage decision, and global assessment.

RESULTS

There were 37 learners and 111 observations. There was no difference in total scores by PGY (P = .77), establishing internal validity. Regarding construct validity, most instrument items had a D statistic of >0.5. The overall ICC among scores was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74-0.89). Individual patient score reliability was high and was greatest among patients with head injury (ICC 0.86; 95% CI 0.79-0.91). Reliability was low for an ambulatory patient (ICC 0.29; 95% CI 0.07-0.48). Triage skills evaluation showed excellent reliability, including airway management (ICC 0.91; 95% CI 0.86-0.94) and triage speed (ICC 0.81; 95% CI 0.72-0.88). The global assessment had moderate reliability for skills (ICC 0.63; 95% CI 0.47-0.75) and knowledge (ICC 0.64; 95% CI 0.49-0.76).

CONCLUSIONS

We report the validity and reliability testing of a PDT-scoring instrument. Validity was confirmed with no performance differential by PGY. Reliability of the scoring instrument for most patient-level triage, knowledge, and specific skills was high.

UK triage--an improved tool for an evolving threat

INTRODUCTION

A key challenge at a major incident is to quickly identify those casualties most urgently needing treatment in order to survive - triage. The UK Triage Sieve (TS) advocated by the Major Incident Medical Management (MIMMS) Course categorises casualties by ability to walk, respiratory rate (RR) and heart rate (HR) or capillary refill time. The military version (MS) includes assessment of consciousness. We tested whether the MS better predicts need for life-saving intervention in a military trauma population. Ideal HR, RR and Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) thresholds were calculated.

METHODS

A gold standard Priority 1 casualty was defined using resource-based criteria. Pre-hospital data from a military trauma database allowed calculation of triage category, which was compared with this standard, and presented as 2×2 tables. Sensitivity and specificity of each physiological parameter was calculated over a range of values to identify the ideal cut-offs.

RESULTS

A gold standard could be ascribed in 1657 cases. In 1213 both the MS and TS could ascribe a category. MS was significantly more sensitive than TS (59% vs 53%, p<0.001) with similar specificity (89 vs 88%). Varying the limits for each parameter allowed some improvements in sensitivity (70-80%) but specificity dropped rapidly.

DISCUSSION

Previous studies support the inclusion of GCS assessment for blunt as well as penetrating trauma. Optimising the physiological cut-offs increased sensitivity in this sample to only 71% - a Sieve based purely on physiological parameters may not be capable of an acceptable level of sensitivity.

CONCLUSIONS

The MS is more sensitive than the TS. Major incident planners utilising the Sieve should consider adopting the military version as their first line triage tool. If validated, altering the HR and RR thresholds may further improve the tool.

Independent Application of the Sacco Disaster Triage Method to Pediatric Trauma Patients

Introduction

Though many mass-casualty triage methods have been proposed, few have been validated in an evidence-based manner. The Sacco Triage Method (STM) has been shown to accurately stratify adult victims of blunt and penetrating trauma into groups of increasing mortality risk. However, it has not been validated for pediatric trauma victims.

Purpose

Evaluate the STM's performance in pediatric trauma victims.

Methods

Records from the United States’ National Trauma Data Base, a registry of trauma victims developed by the American College of Surgeons, were extracted for the 2007-2009 reporting years. Patients ≤18 years of age transported from a trauma scene with complete initial scene data were included in the analysis. Sacco triage scores were assigned to each registry patient, and receiver-operator curves were developed for predicting mortality, along with several secondary outcomes. Area under the receiver-operator curve (AUC) was the main outcome statistic. Sensitivity analysis was performed using a Sacco score without age adjustment, using blunt versus penetrating trauma, and using patients <12 years of age.

Results

There were 210,175 pediatric records, of which 90,037 had complete data for analysis. The STM with age adjustment predicted pediatric trauma mortality with an AUC of 0.933 (95% CI: 0.925-0.940). Without the age adjustment term, it predicted mortality with an AUC of 0.924 (95% CI: 0.916-0.933). The STM with age adjustment predicted blunt trauma mortality in 72,467 patients with an AUC of 0.938 (95% CI: 0.929-0.947) and penetrating trauma mortality in 10,099 patients with an AUC of 0.927 (95% CI: 0.911-0.943). These findings did not change significantly when analysis was limited to patients <12 years of age. The Sacco Triage Method was also predictive of some secondary outcomes, such as major injury and death on arrival to the emergency department.

Conclusion

The Sacco Triage Method, with or without its age adjustment term, was a highly accurate predictor of mortality in pediatric trauma patients in this registry database. This triage method appears to be a valid strategy for the prioritization of injured children.

Cross KP, Cicero MX. Independent application of the Sacco Disaster Triage Method to pediatric trauma patients. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(4):1-6.

The “RTR” Medical Response System for Nuclear and Radiological Mass-Casualty Incidents: A Functional TRiage-TReatment-TRansport Medical Response Model

Developing a mass-casualty medical response to the detonation of an improvised nuclear device (IND) or large radiological dispersal device (RDD) requires unique advanced planning due to the potential magnitude of the event, lack of warning, and radiation hazards. In order for medical care and resources to be collocated and matched to the requirements, a [US] Federal interagency medical response-planning group has developed a conceptual approach for responding to such nuclear and radiological incidents. The “RTR” system (comprising Radiation-specific TRiage, TReatment, TRansport sites) is designed to support medical care following a nuclear incident. Its purpose is to characterize, organize, and efficiently deploy appropriate materiel and personnel assets as close as physically possible to various categories of victims while preserving the safety of responders. The RTR system is not a medical triage system for individual patients. After an incident is characterized and safe perimeters are established, RTR sites should be determined in real-time that are based on the extent of destruction, environmental factors, residual radiation, available infrastructure, and transportation routes. Such RTR sites are divided into three types depending on their physical/situational relationship to the incident. The RTR1 sites are near the epicenter with residual radiation and include victims with blast injuries and other major traumatic injuries including radiation exposure; RTR2 sites are situated in relationship to the plume with varying amounts of residual radiation present, with most victims being ambulatory; and RTR3 sites are collection and transport sites with minimal or no radiation present or exposure risk and a victim population with a potential variety of injuries or radiation exposures. Medical Care sites are predetermined sites at which definitive medical care is given to those in immediate need of care. They include local/regional hospitals, medical centers, other sites such as nursing homes and outpatient clinics, nationwide expert medical centers (such as cancer or burn centers), and possible alternate care facilities such as Federal Medical Stations. Assembly Centers for displaced or evacuating persons are predetermined and spontaneous sites safely outside of the perimeter of the incident, for use by those who need no immediate medical attention or only minor assistance. Decontamination requirements are important considerations for all RTR, Medical Care, and Assembly Center sites and transport vehicles. The US Department of Health and Human Services is working on a long-term project to generate a database for potential medical care sites and assembly centers so that information is immediately available should an incident occur.

Simulation Training with Structured Debriefing Improves Residents’ Pediatric Disaster Triage Performance

Introduction

Pediatric disaster medicine (PDM) triage is a vital skill set for pediatricians, and is a required component of residency training by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Simulation training is an effective tool for preparing providers for high-stakes, low-frequency events. Debriefing is a learner-centered approach that affords reflection on one's performance, and increases the efficacy of simulation training. The purpose of this study was to measure the efficacy of a multiple-victim simulation in facilitating learners’ acquisition of pediatric disaster medicine (PDM) skills, including the JumpSTART triage algorithm. It was hypothesized that multiple patient simulations and a structured debriefing would improve triage performance.

Methods

A 10-victim school-shooting scenario was created. Victims were portrayed by adult volunteers, and by high- and low-fidelity simulation manikins that responded physiologically to airway maneuvers. Learners were pediatrics residents. Expected triage levels were not revealed. After a didactic session, learners completed the first simulation. Learners assigned triage levels to all victims, and recorded responses on a standardized form. A group structured debriefing followed the first simulation. The debriefing allowed learners to review the victims and discuss triage rationale. A new 10-victim trauma disaster scenario was presented one week later, and a third scenario was presented five months later. During the second and third scenarios, learners again assigned triage levels to multiple victims. Wilcoxon sign rank tests were used to compare pre- and post-test scores and performance on pre- and post-debriefing simulations.

Results

A total of 53 learners completed the educational intervention. Initial mean triage performance was 6.9/10 patients accurately triaged (range = 5-10, SD = 1.3); one week after the structured debriefing, the mean triage performance improved to 8.0/10 patients (range = 5-10, SD = 1.37, P < .0001); five months later, there was maintenance of triage improvement, with a mean triage score of 7.8/10 patients (SD = 1.33, P < .0001).

Over-triage of an uninjured child with special health care needs (CSHCN) (67.8% of learners prior to debriefing, 49.0% one week post-debriefing, 26.2% five months post-debriefing) and under-triage of head-injured, unresponsive patients (41.2% of learners pre-debriefing, 37.5% post-debriefing, 11.0% five months post-debriefing) were the most common errors.

Conclusions

Structured debriefings are a key component of PDM simulation education, and resulted in improved triage accuracy; the improvement was maintained five months after the educational intervention. Future curricula should emphasize assessment of CSHCN and head-injured patients.

Cicero MX, Auerbach MA, Zigmont J, Riera A, Ching K, Baum CR. Simulation training with structured debriefing improves residents’ pediatric disaster triage performance. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(3):1-6.

Emergency department triage: an ethical analysis

Background

Emergency departments across the globe follow a triage system in order to cope with overcrowding. The intention behind triage is to improve the emergency care and to prioritize cases in terms of clinical urgency.

Discussion

In emergency department triage, medical care might lead to adverse consequences like delay in providing care, compromise in privacy and confidentiality, poor physician-patient communication, failing to provide the necessary care altogether, or even having to decide whose life to save when not everyone can be saved. These consequences challenge the ethical quality of emergency care. This article provides an ethical analysis of "routine" emergency department triage. The four principles of biomedical ethics - viz. respect for autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence and justice provide the starting point and help us to identify the ethical challenges of emergency department triage. However, they do not offer a comprehensive ethical view. To address the ethical issues of emergency department triage from a more comprehensive ethical view, the care ethics perspective offers additional insights.

Summary

We integrate the results from the analysis using four principles of biomedical ethics into care ethics perspective on triage and propose an integrated clinically and ethically based framework of emergency department triage planning, as seen from a comprehensive ethics perspective that incorporates both the principles-based and care-oriented approach.

In 'big bang' major incidents do triage tools accurately predict clinical priority?: a systematic review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

The term "big bang" major incidents is used to describe sudden, usually traumatic,catastrophic events, involving relatively large numbers of injured individuals, where demands on clinical services rapidly outstrip the available resources. Triage tools support the pre-hospital provider to prioritise which patients to treat and/or transport first based upon clinical need. The aim of this review is to identify existing triage tools and to determine the extent to which their reliability and validity have been assessed.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify and evaluate published data validating the efficacy of the triage tools. Studies using data from trauma patients that report on the derivation, validation and/or reliability of the specific pre-hospital triage tools were eligible for inclusion.Purely descriptive studies, reviews, exercises or reports (without supporting data) were excluded.

RESULTS

The search yielded 1982 papers. After initial scrutiny of title and abstract, 181 papers were deemed potentially applicable and from these 11 were identified as relevant to this review (in first figure). There were two level of evidence one studies, three level of evidence two studies and six level of evidence three studies. The two level of evidence one studies were prospective validations of Clinical Decision Rules (CDR's) in children in South Africa, all the other studies were retrospective CDR derivation, validation or cohort studies. The quality of the papers was rated as good (n=3), fair (n=7), poor (n=1).

CONCLUSION

There is limited evidence for the validity of existing triage tools in big bang major incidents.Where evidence does exist it focuses on sensitivity and specificity in relation to prediction of trauma death or severity of injury based on data from single or small number patient incidents. The Sacco system is unique in combining survivability modelling with the degree by which the system is overwhelmed in the triage decision system. The practicalities, training implications, performance characteristics and reliance on computer technology during a mass casualty incident require further evaluation.

Mass casualty triage: an evaluation of the data and development of a proposed national guideline

Mass casualty triage is a critical skill. Although many systems exist to guide providers in making triage decisions, there is little scientific evidence available to demonstrate that any of the available systems have been validated. Furthermore, in the United States there is little consistency from one jurisdiction to the next in the application of mass casualty triage methodology. There are no nationally agreed upon categories or color designations. This review reports on a consensus committee process used to evaluate and compare commonly used triage systems, and to develop a proposed national mass casualty triage guideline. The proposed guideline, entitled SALT (sort, assess, life-saving interventions, treatment and/or transport) triage, was developed based on the best available science and consensus opinion. It incorporates aspects from all of the existing triage systems to create a single overarching guide for unifying the mass casualty triage process across the United States.