Triage System at PGI Chandigarh: Now at emergency OPD, patients are classified on sickness level

As the system kicked in on Friday morning, two doctors examined patients outside the emergency Hall A and on the basis of the sickness level, the patients were either sent to Hall A, meant for critical patients, or to two areas: Hall C (for stable patients) and corridor area (intermediate ill patients).

“We are happy the system has been started. It will help improve patient care,” Dr Seran Kumar Reddy, president, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), PGI, told Chandigarh Newsline. “It will decrease mortality and help us do prioritisation of patients.”

“Earlier, all the patients would enter directly into the emergency hall,” said a junior resident doctor at the emergency OPD. “With the new system in place, only those patients are being sent to Hall A who require that type of medical attention.”

On Friday, the emergency Hall A witnessed a lesser rush of patients. Against three rows of patients inside the emergency hall, it witnessed lesser number of patients.

The demand for setting up the triage system had first figured during a meeting between the resident doctors and the administration in August 2013. It was discussed that “triage centre is to be established in emergency complex”. Last year, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission too had recommended to the PGI authorities to set up the system, but no action was taken.

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“At the entry point where the patient is first received, there should be one senior resident who would be responsible for screening and prioritising. A junior resident should assist him,” read the commission recommendation.

Functional elsewhere

Triage system will classify patients based on sickness level. It is currently functional in the trauma centre and the paediatric centre of the institute.