title: The evaluation of a triage tool for a community palliative care service provider.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Triage, widely used by the military and emergency departments, has not been reported in community palliative care services. Policy designed to improve equitable provision of this care has led to the development of a triage tool.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective data were collected (50 percent of referrals, n = 204) and analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to determine the accuracy of the tool in predicting patient status at the first visit. Semi-structured interviews (n = 7) with palliative care service staff added qualitative data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although significant differences between triage scores compared to outcomes at first visit were observed, issues such as upgrading of triage category compared to priority score occurred in more than 30 percent of cases. When correction for this was made, the tool was found to be an accurate guide to patient needs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This tool, when used as intended, was effective in assessing the urgency of need, and it is potentially useful on a wider scale, subject to further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Palliative Care Research Team, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, PO Box 527, Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia. heather.tan@acu.edu.au
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wearne
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010166:Palliative Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014218:Triage