Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Secondary telephone triage to divert low-acuity patients to alternative non-ambulance services before ambulance arrival has been trialled in the UK and USA as a management strategy to cope with the increase in ambulance demand. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the literature on the structure, safety and success of secondary triage systems. ⋯ These results suggest that, while secondary triage of these patients is safe, further research is required to determine its most appropriate structure and its effect on ambulance demand.
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Secondary telephone triage to divert low-acuity patients to alternative non-ambulance services before ambulance arrival has been trialled in the UK and USA as a management strategy to cope with the increase in ambulance demand. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the literature on the structure, safety and success of secondary triage systems. ⋯ These results suggest that, while secondary triage of these patients is safe, further research is required to determine its most appropriate structure and its effect on ambulance demand.