Pre-hospital Korean Triage and Acuity Scale: the results of first and second pilot projects
- Author:
Changshin KANG
1
;
Han Joo CHOI
;
Sang-Il KIM
;
Yong Oh KIM
;
Jung-Youn KIM
;
Jungho KIM
;
Hyun NOH
;
Hyun Ho RYU
;
Jung Hee WEE
;
Gyuuk HWANG
;
Ki Jeong HONG
;
Jae Yun AHN
;
Chun Song YOUN
;
Eunsil KO
;
Minhee LEE
;
Sung-keun KO
;
Tae Young LEE
;
Eul Hee ROH
;
Joonbum PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
- Publication Type:Editorial
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2024;35(1):6-15
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:KO
-
Abstract:
While the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS) was introduced in 2016 as a tool to identify patients at risk of catastrophic events, including death in the ED, the triage system for the pre-hospital stage still lacks evidence. The pre-hospital stage is characterized by time-sensitive and complex scenarios, where rapid and accurate decision-making is paramount to optimize patient outcomes. Despite the vital role of pre-hospital care providers, the invalidated and subjective current triage system consisting of 4-stages is still used at the pre-hospital stage, and hence, it needs to be modified to be more objective, standardized, and reliable. To improve the Korean emergency medical system, the pre-hospital KTAS (Pre-KTAS) was developed in 2020, and then two pilot projects were conducted in 2022 and 2023. This paper not only reveals the results of the first and second pilot projects for Pre-KTAS but also highlights the potential benefits of using this newly developed triage tool in the pre-hospital setting. Furthermore, this paper suggests ways to improve the emergency medical system (EMS) in Korea by improving patient safety, resource allocation, and overall emergency response efficiency.
