Validation of the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale Compare to Triage by Emergency Severity Index for Emergency Adult Patient: Preliminary Study in a Tertiary Hospital Emergency Medical Center

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Triage is the initial clinical evaluation process in a hospital emergency department (ED). The Korean Triage and Acuity Scale-based triage system (KTAS) has been developed and used in Korean EDs as a triage tool. However, there has been limited evidence of its reliability and validation in KTAS. The aim of this study was to validate KTAS by comparing the Emergency Severity Index (ESI). METHODS: This was a prospective study. All adult patients over the age of 18 years who visited our ED during the study period were included. Patients were independently triaged by a primary triage nurse using KTAS and emergency physician by ESI. The total admission rate (TAR) and length of stay (LOS) were analyzed by comparing KTAS and ESI according to acuity levels. RESULTS: A total of 2919 patients were enrolled in our study. With KTAS, 0.8%, 9.3%, 41.6%, 39.7%, and 8.6% were assigned to the levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. With ESI, 1.8%, 15.7%, 38.4%, 42.5%, and 1.6% were assigned to levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The percentage of each level using KTAS was similar to using ESI. Significant consistency existed in TAR and LOS compared with KTAS and ESI. CONCLUSION: KTAS seems preferable to triaged patients according to severity. It is helpful to order of priority in utilization for ED.