Local emergency departments are joining others across the province in adopting an electronic patient priority system.
Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) is implementing the Canadian Triage & Acuity Scale system, also referred to as “eCTAS.”
The system is used across Canada to prioritize patient care by how severe their illness or injury is. A nurse will begin to assess patients on arrival and then gives the patient an eCTAS level. The score is used to determine how quickly they should see a doctor.
“Nothing changes for the patient except confidence in knowing that the triage score is standardized and therefore would be the same if the patient presented at an Emergency Department somewhere else in Ontario,” Chief Nursing Executive, Esther Millar said. “Triage nurses will maintain their level of critical thinking and decision-making ability, but will have consistent reassurance through this provincial and confidential interface with our electronic health record that the correct decision on a CTAS level is made.”
Millar was proud of the teams that developed the process of adopting the standard and creating the interface.
“Thanks to robust training, we don’t anticipate any delays for patients in the triage process as our staff navigate the new system,” Millar said.
