triageproces

A triageproces, or triage process, is the method of sorting incoming cases by urgency and severity to allocate limited resources efficiently. It aims to maximize outcomes by ensuring those in most need receive attention first.

In health care, triage is performed at the point of presentation or en route to care, using standardized schemes such as Emergency Severity Index (ESI), Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS), or the Manchester Triage System (MTS). The process is typically rapid, often lasting only moments, and includes a quick assessment of vital functions (airway, breathing, circulation), a brief history, and the determination of a priority level. After allocation, patients may receive initial treatment and be re-evaluated as their condition changes. Most systems categorize patients into five levels or color codes, ranging from immediately needing care to non-urgent cases.

During disasters or mass casualty incidents, triage aims to save the greatest number of lives with scarce resources. Triage criteria emphasize survivability and the likely benefit from treatment, and decisions may involve prioritizing those who can be stabilized with available resources. Ethical considerations and continuous reassessment are central.

Triage principles are also applied outside medicine, for example in information technology, customer service, and project management, where new reports or tasks are prioritized, assigned, and scheduled to optimize outcomes.