Summary
Triage in the health care system during an influenza pandemic: a public health perspective
Castro Delgado R, Arcos González P, Rodríguez Soler A
Affiliation of the authors
Unidad de Investigación en Emergencias y Desastres. Universidad de Oviedo, Spain. Consejo Español de Triaje Prehospitalario y Hospitalario. Spain. SAMU-Asturias, Spain. Hospital Universitario Ntra. Sra. de Candelaria (SCS Canarias), Spain.
DOI
Quote
Castro Delgado R, Arcos González P, Rodríguez Soler A. Triage in the health care system during an influenza pandemic: a public health perspective. Emergencias. 2009;21:376-81
Summary
The current influenza pandemic confronting our health care system is a challenge for the
responsible authorities to manage with an integrated, system-wide approach. As the
entire health care system is likely to become overburdened, referrals between different
levels of care should be coordinated, guided by the use of triage protocols. This paper
discusses the new and important role of triage as a tool for managing patient flow
during an influenza pandemic, although the specifics of the various protocols already in
use internationally are not analyzed in detail. Certainly, triage is a key clinical tool at the
service of public health.