[A triage system for non-urgent ambulant frail elderly].
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to examine a triage system for non-urgent ambulant frail elderly.


METHODS
Three months prospective evaluation of patients, admitted for an out-hospital evaluation on a geriatric ward of an non-academic teaching hospital and not suitable for a memory clinic or falls clinic. A maximum of four patients entered the triage system at the same moment and a nurse and a physiotherapist investigated these patients separately during 30 minutes in total. After these investigations, triage consensus was reached and immediately thereafter, 2 patients were admitted to a fall clinic, 1 patient was admitted to a consultant and 1 patient was admitted to a resident. For each admission, there were positive and negative reasons defined.


RESULTS
During 22 moments of triage, 68 patients were admitted to the different out-hospital evaluations. In 90% positive reasons for triage were used.


CONCLUSIONS
A triage system for non-urgent ambulant frail elderly seems to be effective. However, more research is needed.
Dautzenberg
P L J
PL
Klinisch geriater, afdeling geriatrie Carolus ziekenhuis, Hervensebaan 4, 5232 JL 's-Hertogenbosch. p.dautzenberg@jbz.nl
Nijboer
H
H
Wouters
C J
CJ