Triage prehospital

A common algorithm that is used with adult prehospital triage is the Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START). START was developed by the Newport Beach, California, Fire and Marine Department and Hoag Hospital. Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers are very experienced in the use of the START system. The START system is easy to learn and simple to use. It is based on the person s ability to respond verbally and ambulate and their respirations, perfusion, and mental status (RPM). The system works as follows ... 

Color-Coding for Prehospital Disaster Triage System... 

Benson, M., Koenig, K. L., Schultz, C. H. (1996). Disaster triage START then SAVE—A new method of dynamic triage for victims of a catastrophic earthquake. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, JJ(2), 117-124. 

In a disaster or mass casualty situation, all hospitals may be called on to care for ill or injured children of varying degrees of symptom severity. Therefore, all hospital emergency departments need to be prepared to treat children likewise, pediatric hospitals must be prepared to treat injured or ill parents and adult family members. As part of their pediatric disaster planning, hospitals should anticipate a lack of prehospital triage establish protocols for care create pediatric antidote kits organize and store pediatric equipment in one setting and anticipate the need for extra personnel (Hohenhaus, 2005). 

Weaver WD, Cerqueira M, Hallstrom AP, Litwin PE, Martin JS, Kuden-chuk PJ, Eisenberg M. Prehospital-initiated vs. hospital-initiated thrombolytic thereapy. The Myocardial Infarction Triage and Intervention Trial. JAMA 1993 270 1211-1216. 

Weaver WD, Eisenberg MS, Martin JS, Litwin PE, Shaeifer SM, Ho MT, Kudenchuk P, Hallstrom AP, Cerqueira MD, Copass MK, et al. Myocardial Infarction Triage and Intervention Project— phase I patient characteristics and feasibility of prehospital initiation of thrombolytic therapy. J Am Coll Cardiol 1990 15(5) 925-931. 

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