[Presentation of ELISA: a new triage algorithm suitable for emergency department]

Abstract

Emergency departments are frequently overcrowded due to the imbalance between need and availability of care. It results that influx patients should be regulated by using a triage tool located at the entrance area. This process has been in development for almost 15 years.We propose a new algorithm of triage (ELISA or Liège Scale of severity index at admission) based on a five-score level of emergency from U1 (emergent) to U5 (non urgent). Such a stratification of the state of emergency is associated with a time-delay for the first medical contact (immediate to 120 min) and a corresponding track for providing optimal care (emergency care unit, B sector or bed, A sector or ambulatory and waiting room) which together fit the sorting for the right patient to the right resources in the right place at the right time. Our algorithm has a confident efficiency as evidenced by the comparison between initial score of emergency and patient's follow up (intensive care, hospital recovery and discharge).