Singer Rachel Friedman, Infante Alycia A, Oppenheimer Caitlin C, West Catherine A, Siegel Bruce
NORC at University of Chicago, 4350 East-West Hwy, Suite 800, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
J Emerg Nurs. 2012 Mar;38(2):120-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2010.07.004. Epub 2010 Oct 2.
The Emergency Severity Index (ESI) is a 5-level emergency department triage algorithm designed to facilitate the sorting and streaming of patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the use of the ESI in emergency departments, including satisfaction with the ESI, usefulness of the ESI compared with other triage algorithms, and lessons learned from implementation.
A self-administered questionnaire was sent to 935 people who requested the ESI training materials from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and who volunteered to participate in a study about the ESI. The response rate for the survey was 42% (n = 392). Telephone interviews were conducted with an additional 19 ED professionals. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were used in the data analysis.
Three hundred twenty-two survey respondents (82%) reported that they use the ESI in their emergency department. Satisfaction with the ESI triage algorithm is high. ESI users indicated that the ESI is more accurate than other triage algorithms and that its strengths are simplicity of use and the ability to reduce the subjectivity of triage.
The majority of ED professionals who reported using the ESI were very satisfied with the tool. Users found that it was more accurate than other triage algorithms and reduced the subjectivity of the triage process. Both survey and interview findings indicated that few emergency departments have formally assessed the impact of the ESI on ED operations.
急诊严重程度指数（ESI）是一种5级急诊科分诊算法，旨在促进患者的分类和分流。本研究的目的是评估ESI在急诊科的使用情况，包括对ESI的满意度、与其他分诊算法相比ESI的有用性以及从实施中吸取的经验教训。
向935名从美国卫生与公众服务部医疗保健研究与质量局（AHRQ）索取ESI培训材料并自愿参与ESI相关研究的人员发送了一份自填式问卷。调查的回复率为42%（n = 392）。另外还对19名急诊科专业人员进行了电话访谈。数据分析采用描述性统计和定性内容分析。
322名调查受访者（82%）报告称他们在急诊科使用ESI。对ESI分诊算法的满意度很高。ESI用户表示，ESI比其他分诊算法更准确，其优势在于使用简单且能够降低分诊的主观性。
大多数报告使用ESI的急诊科专业人员对该工具非常满意。用户发现它比其他分诊算法更准确，并且减少了分诊过程的主观性。调查和访谈结果均表明，很少有急诊科正式评估过ESI对急诊科运营的影响。
