Challenges with patient triage and access existed before the “tripledemic,” defined as the recent surge in flu, RSV and COVID-19 cases. However, the “tripledemic” highlighted weaknesses in healthcare’s ability to handle the surge of patients.
What role does nurse triage play in preventing unnecessary emergency department visits and supporting health care value? One lesson we’re learning is that establishing a registered nurse as the first point of contact for patient triage is a critical driver of patient satisfaction. Nurse triage can lift the load for overburdened emergency department teams by bringing an awareness of the care needed and the best location to receive that care; decreasing unnecessary ED utilizaition.
Check out a recent Q & A in The Journal of mHealth about “Optimising Healthcare Delivery with a Nurse-first Triage Model.”