Zeitschrift für Evidenz, Fortbildung und Qualität im Gesundheitswesen
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Triage ("sorting") will only be necessary in the setting of mass casualties and lack of sufficient paramedical and medical specialists as well as equipment. Triage means that the victims will be divided into four categories denoting urgency of treatment and chance of survival. The most experienced medical doctor or officer is responsible for the triage.
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Incidents with a large number of diseased and injured people (i.e., mass casualty incidents) require special medical logistics. Due to the disproportion between the unknown number of patients and the limited number of medical personnel and equipment, there is an urgent need to use available resources to their full extent so that the largest possible number of patients can receive the emergency care they need. ⋯ This process of prioritising is the primary task of the senior emergency physician. The result of this so-called triage is being documented on triage tags.