Lumbini Provincial Hospital Introduces Triage System in Emergency Ward

Lumbini Provincial Hospital has introduced a triage system in its emergency ward to improve patient management amid a growing number of service seekers.

The hospital administration said the new system is aimed at ensuring that critically ill patients receive priority treatment without delay. Under the triage system, patients arriving at the emergency ward are classified according to the severity of their health condition rather than on a first-come, first-served basis.

According to the hospital’s Medical Superintendent, Dr Bishnu Prasad Gautam, the hospital currently receives around 2,000 to 2,500 people every day for treatment and medical consultation. He said the triage system is expected to help provide timely care to serious patients despite limited human resources and medical facilities.

Under the system, patients in extremely critical condition will be placed under the red category and will receive immediate medical attention. Patients with moderate or serious conditions will be placed under the yellow category. Those with normal fever, minor injuries or conditions that do not pose an immediate risk to life will be placed under the green category.

The hospital said the system will help make emergency services more organized and ensure that patients in life-threatening conditions receive timely treatment. It is also expected to reduce the risk of serious patients losing their lives while waiting for their turn.

The hospital has witnessed a sharp rise in patient flow after the government stopped health insurance services at private health institutions. As a result, more patients seeking insurance-based services have started visiting government hospitals.

According to the hospital administration, the pressure has further increased due to patients referred from private hospitals and those directly arriving at the provincial hospital for services under the health insurance program.

Ajay Man Shrestha, chairperson of the hospital development committee, said efforts are being made to use available human resources and facilities as effectively as possible to make service delivery more efficient, accessible and complaint-free.

He said the gap between available resources and the increasing number of service seekers remains large, making hospital service management more challenging by the day.

The hospital expects that the implementation of the triage system will help streamline emergency care, clarify treatment priorities and improve overall service management in the emergency ward.