@article{ref1,
title="Testing the START triage protocol: can it improve the ability of nonmedical personnel to better triage patients during disasters and mass casualties incidents ?",
journal="Disaster medicine and public health preparedness",
year="2017",
author="Badiali, Stefano and Giugni, Aimone and Marcis, Lucia",
volume="11",
number="3",
pages="305-309",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) triage is a tool that is available even to nonmedical rescue personnel in case of a disaster or mass casualty incident (MCI). In Italy, no data are available on whether application of the START protocol could improve patient outcomes during a disaster or MCI. We aimed to address whether &quot;last-minute&quot; START training of nonmedical personnel during a disaster or MCI would result in more effective triage of patients. <br><br>METHODS: In this case-control study, 400 nonmedical ambulance crew members were randomly assigned to a non-START or a START group (200 per group). The START group received last-minute START training. Each group examined 6000 patients, obtained from the Emergo Train System (ETS Italy, Bologna, Italy) victims database, and assigned patients a triage code (black-red-yellow-green) along with a reason for the assignment. Each rescuer triaged 30 patients within a 30-minute time frame. <br><br>RESULTS were analyzed according to Fisher's exact test for a P value<0.01. Under- and over-triage ratios were analyzed as well. <br><br>RESULTS: The START group completed the evaluations in 15 minutes, whereas the non-START group took 30 minutes. The START group correctly triaged 94.2% of their patients, as opposed to 59.83% of the non-START group (P<0.01). Under- and over-triage were, respectively, 2.73% and 3.08% for the START group versus 13.67% and 26.5% for the non-START group. The non-START group had 458 &quot;preventable deaths&quot; on 6000 cases because of incorrect triage, whereas the START group had 91. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Even a &quot;last-minute&quot; training on the START triage protocol allows nonmedical personnel to better identify and triage the victims of a disaster or MCI, resulting in more effective and efficient medical intervention. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;page 1 of 5).<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1935-7893",
doi="10.1017/dmp.2016.151",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2016.151"
}