Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 10 issue 1 2020
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Evaluation of a modified South African Triage Score as a predictor of patient disposition at a tertiary hospital in Rwanda
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Title
Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 10 issue 1 2020
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Evaluation of a modified South African Triage Score as a predictor of patient disposition at a tertiary hospital in Rwanda
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Evaluation of a modified South African Triage Score as a predictor of patient disposition at a tertiary hospital in Rwanda
Subject
Triage
South African Triage Score
Emergency Center
Rwanda
South African Triage Score
Emergency Center
Rwanda
Description
Background: Triage is essential for efficient and effective delivery of care in emergency centers (ECs) where
numerous patients present simultaneously with varying acuity of conditions. Implementing EC triage systems
provides a method of recognizing which patients may require admission and are at higher risks for poor health
outcomes. Rwanda is experiencing increased demand for emergency care; however, triage has not been wellstudied.
The University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (UTH-K) is an urban tertiary care health center utilizing a
locally modified South African Triage Score (mSATS) that classifies patients into five color categories. Our study
evaluated the utility of the mSATS tool at UTH-K.
Methods: UTH-K implemented mSATS in April 2013. All patients aged 15 years or older from August 2015 to
July 2016 were eligible for inclusion in the database. Variables of interest included demographic information,
mSATS category, patient case type (trauma or medical), disposition from the ED and mortality.
Results: 1438 cases were randomly sampled; the majority were male (61.9%) and median age was 35 years.
Injuries accounted for 56.7% of the cases while medical conditions affected 43.3%. Admission likelihood significantly
increased with higher triage color category for medical patients (OR: Yellow=3.61, p<.001 to Red
(with alarm)=7.80, p<.01). Likelihood for trauma patients, however, was not significantly increased (OR:
Yellow=.84, p=.75 to Red (with alarm)=1.50, p=.65). Mortality rates increased with increasing triage
category with the red with alarm category having the highest mortality (7.7%, OR 18.91).
Conclusion: The mSATS tool accurately predicted patient disposition and mortality for the overall ED population.
The mSATS tool provided useful clinical guidance on the need for hospital admission for medical patients but did
not accurately predict patient disposition for injured patients. Further trauma-specific triage studies are needed
to improve emergency care in Rwanda.
numerous patients present simultaneously with varying acuity of conditions. Implementing EC triage systems
provides a method of recognizing which patients may require admission and are at higher risks for poor health
outcomes. Rwanda is experiencing increased demand for emergency care; however, triage has not been wellstudied.
The University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (UTH-K) is an urban tertiary care health center utilizing a
locally modified South African Triage Score (mSATS) that classifies patients into five color categories. Our study
evaluated the utility of the mSATS tool at UTH-K.
Methods: UTH-K implemented mSATS in April 2013. All patients aged 15 years or older from August 2015 to
July 2016 were eligible for inclusion in the database. Variables of interest included demographic information,
mSATS category, patient case type (trauma or medical), disposition from the ED and mortality.
Results: 1438 cases were randomly sampled; the majority were male (61.9%) and median age was 35 years.
Injuries accounted for 56.7% of the cases while medical conditions affected 43.3%. Admission likelihood significantly
increased with higher triage color category for medical patients (OR: Yellow=3.61, p<.001 to Red
(with alarm)=7.80, p<.01). Likelihood for trauma patients, however, was not significantly increased (OR:
Yellow=.84, p=.75 to Red (with alarm)=1.50, p=.65). Mortality rates increased with increasing triage
category with the red with alarm category having the highest mortality (7.7%, OR 18.91).
Conclusion: The mSATS tool accurately predicted patient disposition and mortality for the overall ED population.
The mSATS tool provided useful clinical guidance on the need for hospital admission for medical patients but did
not accurately predict patient disposition for injured patients. Further trauma-specific triage studies are needed
to improve emergency care in Rwanda.
Creator
Chantal Uwamahoro, Adam R. Aluisio, Esther Chu, Ellen Reibling, Zeta Mutabazi, Naz Karim, Jean Claude Byiringiro, Adam C. Levine, Mindi Guptill
Source
www.elsevier.com/locate/afjem
Publisher
afem
Date
28 October 2019
Contributor
peri irawan
Format
pdf
Language
english
Type
text
Files
Citation
Chantal Uwamahoro, Adam R. Aluisio, Esther Chu, Ellen Reibling, Zeta Mutabazi, Naz Karim, Jean Claude Byiringiro, Adam C. Levine, Mindi Guptill, “Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 10 issue 1 2020
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Evaluation of a modified South African Triage Score as a predictor of patient disposition at a tertiary hospital in Rwanda,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 19, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2413.
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Evaluation of a modified South African Triage Score as a predictor of patient disposition at a tertiary hospital in Rwanda,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 19, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2413.