Diagnostic accuracy of emergency department triage systems for predicting clinical severity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of five-level triage scales
Remember that triage tool performance isn't universally fixed; its reported accuracy is highly dependent on the specific clinical setting and outcome definition used in the study. Don't assume perfect reliability based on published meta-analyses alone, as local workflow variations matter significantly. Use these tools as guides for initial resource allocation but remain vigilant about tailoring your interpretation to your own ED's unique patient mix.
This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized data on the diagnostic accuracy of several common five-level emergency department triage systems, including ESI, MTS, CTAS, ATS, and SATS. The core finding is that while these tools are foundational for front-door prioritization, their reported performance metrics are highly variable depending on where they are implemented and what specific clinical outcome is being measured. Essentially, the reliability of any single scale cannot be assumed across different institutional workflows or patient populations. This meta-analysis provides a broad overview but cautions against over-relying on generalized accuracy scores when making local protocol decisions.