title: [A triage system for non-urgent ambulant frail elderly].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Klinisch geriater, afdeling geriatrie Carolus ziekenhuis, Hervensebaan 4, 5232 JL 's-Hertogenbosch. p.dautzenberg@jbz.nl
authors.forename: P L J
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Dautzenberg
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nijboer
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wouters