The effectiveness of the implementation of the Cape Triage Score at the emergency department of the National District Hospital, Bloemfontein

Figures & data

Table 1: Description of the colour codes used in the Cape Triage Score²

Colour code	Description
Red	Resuscitation/physiologically unstable patient
Orange	Serious cases with potentially unstable physiology or potential life/limb threatening pathology
Yellow	‘Physiologically stable’ cases with reasonably serious medical or trauma problems
Green	Minor injuries/illness
Blue	Clearly dead patients

Table 2: Baseline characteristics of patients included in the study

Characteristics	Frequency
	n	%
Gender
Men	167	42.3
Women	225	57.7
Age
< 20 years	15	3.8
20–40 years	200	50.6
41–65 years	129	32.7
> 65 years	51	12.9
Residential area
Bloemfontein	322	81.5
Outside Bloemfontein	73	18.5

Table 3: Distribution of patients per diagnosis and age group

Diagnosis	Age				Percentage of patients (%)
	< 20 years (n = 15)	20–40 years (n = 200)	41–65 years (n = 129)	> 65 years (n = 51)
Trauma	4	38	14	5	15.4
HIV-related	0	49	19	4	18.2
Respiratory conditions	2	17	20	3	10.6
Abdominal conditions	1	18	19	11	12.4
Neurological conditions	0	6	4	2	3.0
Chronic conditions	0	12	19	15	11.6
Psychiatric conditions	1	20	7	0	7.1
Other emergencies	3	12	6	2	5.8
Other	4	28	21	9	15.7

Figure 1: Percentage of patients assigned to a colour code category before and after adjustment. [SATS: South African Triage Score, TEWS: Triage Early Warning Score]

Table 4: Appropriateness of the side-room investigations as indicated per Cape Triage Score guidelines

Test	Appropriateness		Proportion inappropriate (%)
	Appropriate (n)	Inappropriate (n)	Lower 95% CI	Proportion	Upper 95% CI
Random glucose test	154	240	56.0	60.9	65.6
Haemoglobin test	154	240	56.0	60.9	65.6
Oxygen saturation	192	202	46.3	51.3	56.2
Urine dipstick	208	186	47.9	52.8	57.7

Figure 2: A comparison of outcomes between the TEWS and SATS colour coded patients. [SATS: South African Triage Score, TEWS: Triage Early Warning Score]

Table 5: Number of patients per colour code category compared to the actual outcome

Gottschalk SB, Wood D, De Vries S, et al. The cape triage score: a new triage system South Africa. Proposal from the cape triage group. Emerg Med J. 2006;23(2):149–53.10.1136/emj.2005.028332

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar