Patients should be triaged according to severity of injuries or medical problems to assure that those most injured or sickest receive the highest level of care needed.
MEDICAL PATIENT
PRIORITY 1
Cardiac or respiratory arrest
Severe dyspnea, airway obstruction, anaphylaxis, or continuing seizures
Unstable vital signs i.e. significant worsening enroute
Patients requiring “advanced” procedures such as needle decompression, cardioversion, interosseous access, endotracheal intubation, etc.
PRIORITY 2
Abnormal but stable vital signs
Decreased level of alertness but otherwise stable
“Significant” symptoms such as on-going chest pain, postictal state, imminent childbirth, etc.
PRIORITY 3
All other medical patients not categorized as Priority 1 or 2
TRAUMA PATIENT
A prehospital assessment of trauma patients is to help determine which patients should be taken to a trauma center versus a closer facility such as a community hospital. EMS providers should use the following Field Triage Decision Scheme to decide whether the patient should be transported to a trauma center OR may be transported to a closer facility. As always, OLMC should be contacted with any questions regarding facility destination.