Emergency Room Triage in Arizona
Triage means “to sort or sift.” In an emergency room, triage is the system of gathering patient information and prioritizing patient care. It is a five-tier system that follows this ranking system:
- Immediate lifesaving interventions are necessary
- Emergent or high-risk situation
- Urgent
- Semi-urgent
- Non-urgent
At Dignity Health, we perform highly skilled and timely triage in Arizona in our ERs. Use our online InQuicker™ tool, which allows you to select your estimated hospital arrival time and wait at home until your time to be seen. Upon arrival and check-in, you will see a doctor who will assess your situation and determine the next appropriate level of care.
Our Arizona hospitals are located in Ahwatukee, Phoenix, Chandler, Gilbert, Laveen, Goodyear, Surprise, Mesa, and Glendale.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening symptom or injury, signs of stroke, or heart attack, call 9-1-1.
Why Doctors Perform Triage
Triage takes considers how to best use the resources of an emergency room.The goal of triage is to make sure the sickest people get care first. Triage identifies seriously ill patients who need lifesaving care and those who can wait.
What to Expect from Emergency Triage at Dignity Health
The triage system guides your visit in the ER. Typically, a nurse will conduct an initial evaluation of your problem. This involves asking questions and gathering information about your condition or injury. The nurse will take vital measurements, such as temperature, blood pressure, breathing rate, and pulse. Armed with all of this information, the nurse will make a triage assignment to determine the order in which you receive care.
This may need to change if your condition changes. If your symptoms worsen, notify your triage nurse or patient registration coordinator.
The next step after triage is a medical assessment by a doctor, nurse, or other member of your health care team. Once your doctor arrives at a diagnosis, treatment can begin. Recovery time after an emergency treatment depends upon your condition and the specific treatment.
Dignity Health provides high-quality emergency services, including triage, in Arizona.