The emergency medical service (EMS) response is dependent on the emergency medical dispatch (EMD) and the operations response team to ensure that the patient receives the required EMS resources and treatment in the appropriate time. EMS resources must be dispatched to calls of appropriate patient acuity. Overtriage and undertriage impact the appropriate response and optimization of EMS resources and, most importantly, patient
outcomes. This study examines overtriage and undertriage rates in ambulance dispatch operations in the Western Cape Government (WCG), South Africa.
Aim Of This Research Paper
The aim is to determine the undertriage and overtriage rates of EMD priority allocation compared to on-scene ambulance triage.
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Conclusion
This study revealed substantial overtriage and undertriage across all incident types. The results of this study provide a good reference point for future comparisons of triage rates in the Western Cape. It can be used to inform the development of policies, processes, guidelines, triage and training in dispatching systems, which may contribute to the optimization of prehospital resource management and patient care.
