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Figure 1

The receiver operating characteristic curves showed the use of life saving intervention when using the 5-level Emergency Severity Index triage (triangles unbroken line; AUC 92.2%; 95% CI 87.3%, 96.9%) versus the 4-level or nurse triage (squares dashed line; area under the curve (AUC) = 81.3%; 95% CI 75.2%, 87.3%). ROC AUCs were significantly different at a level of P < 0.001
The receiver operating characteristic curves showed the use of life saving intervention when using the 5-level Emergency Severity Index triage (triangles unbroken line; AUC 92.2%; 95% CI 87.3%, 96.9%) versus the 4-level or nurse triage (squares dashed line; area under the curve (AUC) = 81.3%; 95% CI 75.2%, 87.3%). ROC AUCs were significantly different at a level of P < 0.001

Characteristics of patients visiting the ED who underwent both ESI and nursing triage assessment

FactorsNumbers (percentage) or median (range)
Male sex216 (41.5%)
Age, years51 (0.4-97)
Trauma93 (17.9)
Final status
 Discharge441 (84.8)
 Admitted50 (9.6)
 Operative room11 (2.1)
 Referred14 (2.7)
 Refused treatment3 (0.58)
 Death1 (0.19)
Resource needs
 None97 (18.7)
 1116 (22.3)
 ≥2307 (59.0)
Life-saving intervention32 (6.2)
Nursing triage (4 level)
 18 (1.5)
 2180 (34.6)
 3332 (63.9)
 40
ESI triage (5 level)
 114 (2.7)
 292 (17.7)
 3225 (43.3)
 4116 (22.3)
 573 (14.0)
Length of stay in ED, hours2.54 (0.25-169)
Death2 (0.38)

Characteristics of patients by the 4-level nurse triage

FactorsCategory
1 Critical (n = 8)2 Emergency (n = 180)3 Urgent (n = 332)
Median ED length of stay (range), hours9.50 (0.75-153)3.94 (0.5-169)2 (0.25-124)
Resource needs
None013 (7.2%)84 (25.3%)
 1027 (15.0%)89 (26.8%)
 ≥28 (100%)140 (77.8%)159 (47.9%)
Final status
 Discharged2 (25%)143 (79.4%)315 (94.9%)
 Admitted to wards5 (63%)23 (12.8%)14 (4.2%)
 Admitted to ICU1 (13%)14 (7.8%)3 (0.9%)
Life-saving intervention
 Users (n= 32)5 (63%)24 (13%)3 (0.9%)
Death01 (0.6%)1 (0.3%)

Characteristics of all patients by ESI triage

FactorsClassifications
1 (n = 14)2 (n = 64)3 (n = 205)4 (n = 114)5 (n = 73)
Median ED length of stay (range), hours4.838.673.411.620.86
(0.75-153.5)(0.5-169)(0.5-124)(0.41-34.17)(0.25–4)
Resource needs
 None02 (2%)14 (6%)17 (15%)64 (88%)
 105 (5%)32 (14%)71 (61%)8 (11%)
 ≥214 (100)85 (92%)179 (80%)28 (24%)1 (1%)
Final status
 Discharged4 (29%)64 (69%)205 (91%)114 (99%)73 (100%)
 Admitted to wards3 (21%)20 (22%)17 (8%)2 (2%)0
 Admitted to ICU7 (50%)8 (9%)3 (1%)00
Life-saving intervention
 Users (n= 32)13 (93%)17 (19%)2 (1%)00
Death20000

Immediate life-saving interventions at the emergency departmentAdapted from [13].

Life-savingNot life-saving
Airway /breathingΒVM ventilationOxygen administration
IntubationNasal cannula
Surgical airwayNon-rebreather
Emergency continuous positive airway pressure
Emergency bilevel positive airway pressure
Electrical therapyDefibrillationCardiac monitor
Emergency cardioversion
External pacing
ProceduresChest needle decompressionDiagnostic Test
Pericardiocentesis- Electrocardiography
Open thoracotomy- Laboratory test values
Intraosseous access- Ultrasound
- Focused abdominal scan for trauma
HemodynamicsSignificant intravenous fluid resuscitationIntravenous access
Blood administration
Control of major bleedingSaline lock for medications
MedicationsNaloxoneAcetylsalicylic acid
Intravenous 50% dextroseIntravenous nitroglycerine
DopamineAntibiotics
AtropineHeparin
AdenocardPain medications
Respiratory treatments with beta agonists

Reclassification improvement of receivers and non-receivers of life-saving interventions (LSI) and net reclassification improvement

LSIuse4 level triageESI triageTotal
Level 3Level 2Level 1
YesLevel 32013
Level 2016824
Level 10145
Total2171332
Reclassification improvementLSI = (9-1) /32 = 0.250
NoLevel 3314150329
Level 298580156
Level 10213
Total412751488
Reclassification improvementnon-LSI = (100-15) /488 = 0.174

Resource needs at the emergency department

Resource needsNo resource need
Laboratory test values (blood, urine)History, physical
Electrocardiography, X-ray imaging, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound angiographyPoint-of-care testing
Intravenous fluids (hydration)Saline or heparin lock
Intravenous fluids, intramuscular, or nebulized medicationsPer oral medications
Tetanus immunization
Prescription refills
Specialty consultationPhone call to primary care physician
Simple procedure = 1 (Laceration repair, Foley catheter)Simple wound care (dressings, recheck)
Complex procedure = 2 (conscious sedation)Crutches, splints, slings
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