Annex A

 

SINGAPORE EMERGENCY PATIENT’S CATEGORISATION SCALE

 

 TRIAGE CATEGORY

 DEFINITION OF LEVEL OF ACUITY

 TYPICAL PRESENTING COMPLAINT

 INITIAL PROVISIONAL DIAGNOSIS

 

1

 

Resuscitation & Critically Ill Patients

 

Cardiac Arrest

Trauma arrest

Major Trauma

Shock States

Near-Death Asthma

Severe Respiratory Distress

Unconscious patients

Active Seizures

Major Limb Amputations

Head Injury with Altered Mental State

Chest Pain – Likely to be AMI/Unstable Angina

Gastrointestinal Bleed with Shock/Impending Shock

Other Presentation of Acute Coronary Ischaemia Syndrome

 

 

Traumatic Shock

Pneumothroax – Traumatic/Tension

Facial Burns with Airway Compromise

Head Injury with Unconsciousness

Open wound of Chest

Hypoglycemia

Tricyclic Overdosage

Leaking Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Dissecting Aneurysm

AcuteMyocardial Infarction with/without Complications

Status Asthmaticus

Status Epilepticus

Multiple Major Trauma

Grade 4 Heart Failure

Shock of Whatever Cause

Unstable Angina Pectoris

Acute Stroke with Altered Mental State.

 


 

 TRIAGE CATEGORY

 DEFINITION OF LEVEL OF ACUITY

TYPICAL PRESENTING COMPLAINT

 INITIAL PROVISIONAL DIAGNOSIS

 

2

 

Major Emergencies (Non-Ambulant)

 

Chest Pain – Unlikely to be AMI

Drug Overdosage – Conscious

Severe Abdominal Pains

Gastrointestinal Bleed with Normal vital signs

Acute Vaginal Bleed with Normal Vital Signs

Altered Mental States – Not Unconscious and Normal Vital Signs

Moderate Trauma – Non-Ambulant

Severe Painful states

Head Injury, Alert + Vomiting

Mild/Moderate asthma

Seizures – Alert on arrival

Chest Infection with Breathlessness

Persistent Vomiting - ?Cause

 

Hyperosmolar Non-Ketotic Diabetes

Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Multiple Rib Fractures

Neck/Spinal Cord Injury

Ocular Burns

Chest Pain – Cause Not Obvious

Epiglottitis

Ectopic Pregnancy

Major Limb Fractures

Major Joint Dislocation

Major Vertebrogenic Syndromes

Bronchial Asthma

Acute Appendicitis

Perforated Viscus

Acute Ureteric Colic

Acute Urinary Retention

Bronchopneumonia

Gastrointestinal Bleed – Normal Vital Signs

Cholecystitis

Severe Sepsis without Shock

Acute Psychotic States

Acute Cerebrovascular Accident but Alert

Acute Pyelonephritis

Cancers with Complications

Intestinal Obstruction

Drug Overdosage with Alert Mental State

Acute Exarcebation of Peptic Ulcer


 

 TRIAGE CATEGORY

 DEFINITION OF LEVEL OF ACUITY

 TYPICAL PRESENTING COMPLAINT

 INITIAL PROVISIONAL DIAGNOSIS

 

3

 

Minor Emergencies (Ambulant)

 

Head Injury, Alert, No Vomiting

Minor acute Trauma

Acute Ankle Sprain

Abdominal Pains – Not Severe

Headaches

Earache/Acute Ear Discharge

Foreign Bodies in Orifices and Eyes

Mild to Moderate Pains

Missed Abortion

 

Head Injury, alert, No Vomiting

Colles Fracture

Clavicular Fracture

Ankle Sprain

Other Minor Fractures

Migraine and Similar Headaches

Otitis Media/Externa

Gastrointestinal Reflux

Foreign Bodies of Ear, Nose, Throat, Eyes and Extremities

Dysmenorrhoea Symptoms

Acute Gastroenteritis

Vomiting

All Sprains

Insect Stings and Snake and Animal Bites

Superficial Injuries

Hyperpyrexia

Urticaria


 

TRIAGE CATEGORY

 DEFINITION OF LEVEL OF ACUITY

 TYPICAL PRESENTING COMPLAINT

 INITIAL PROVISIONAL DIAGNOSIS

 

 

4

 

Non-Emergencies

 

Old Trauma with Residual Disability

Sore Throat with Absence of Respiratory Problems

Minor Upper Respiratory Illnesses

Non-Urgent Surgical Procedures

Chronic weakness of Body

Non-Urgent Eye Conditions

Non-Urgent ENT Conditions

Minor Ill-Defined Conditions

Requests for Non-Urgent Treatment

Request for Certification and General Check-ups

Cold Gynecological Cases

Non-Urgent Skin Problems

 

Old Scars

Deformities of Bones, Limbs or Spine

Joint Contractures

Old Fractures

 

Non-Urgent Operations :

·        Request for Removal of Metal Plates, Screws

·        Old Unreduced Dislocations

·        Chronic Discharging Wounds

·        Chronic Sprains

·        Cold Lumps and Bumps in the Body

·        Varicose Veins

·        Cyst

·        Requests for Circumcision

·        Patching of Earlobe

·        Removal of Tattoo

·        Removal of Corns, Warts

·        Removal of Keloids

 

Weakness of Body :

·        Cerebral Palsy, Spastics

·        Cervical Spondylosis

·        Post Polio

·        Old Hemiplegias, old Strokes

·        Old Paraplegia

·        Osteoarthritis Knees

 

 

Non-Urgent Eye Conditions :

·        Refractive Disorders of the Eye, Spectacles

·        Pterygium

·        Cataract

·        Defective Vision

·        Squints

 

Non-Urgent ENT Conditions

·        Chronic Rhinitis

·        Defective Hearing

·        Nasal Polyp

·        Wax in Ears

 

Ill Defined Conditions

·        Chronic vague Symptoms Like Tiredness, Dyspepsia

·        Upper Respiratory Infections Without Fever

·        Chronic Cough

·        Social Problem – Requests Admission

·        Psychosomatic Problems

·        Chronic Headaches On and Off

·        Insomnia