[The Spanish triage system in the evaluation of neonates in paediatric emergency departments].

INTRODUCTION: The triage system in the emergency department classifies patients according to priority levels of care. Neonates are a vulnerable population and require rapid assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To correlate the priority levels in newborns seen in the paediatric emergency department with admissions, resource consumption, and service times.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: Observational study, using the Andorran triage model (MAT-SET) with ePATV4 software database, in paediatric emergencies. Neonates were classified into 3 levels of care established for them as level I resuscitation, level II emergency, and level iii urgent. The correlation between levels of priority and admission and resource consumption were analysed, as well as the time spent on medical care and stay in the emergency department.

RESULTS: The study included 1103 infants. The highest priority level was positively correlated with hospital admission (r=0.66, P<.005) and resource consumption (r=0.59, P<.005). The medical care times were 126±203, 119±51, and 33±81min for levels i, ii, and iii, respectively and the stay in emergency department was 150±203, 131±80, and 55±86min, respectively for these levels (P<.05).

CONCLUSION: The higher level of priority in the care of neonates in the paediatric emergency department was positively correlated with increased need for hospital admission and resource consumption. They also required a longer time for medical care and stay in the emergency department.