Patna: Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) has introduced a new triage system in its emergency department aimed at ensuring that critically ill patients receive medical attention within five minutes of arriving at the hospital.
The new protocol prioritises patients based on the severity of their condition, allowing doctors to begin treatment immediately before transferring them to the appropriate department for further care.
Treatment Begins Within Five Minutes
According to the hospital administration, patients suffering from road accidents, heart attacks and other life-threatening emergencies are now taken directly to the triage ward, where doctors and nurses initiate treatment without delay.
A report by Prabhat Khabar found that between 10 am and 5 pm, eight patients were brought to the triage ward. All received immediate medical attention before being admitted to the relevant departments based on their condition.
Patients are transported directly to the triage facility on stretchers from the emergency entrance.
Four-Colour Priority System
The triage ward currently has 17 beds and operates round the clock with staff deployed in three shifts.
Each shift comprises:
- Two doctors
- Four nurses
- One health manager
- Two ward assistants
On arrival, a health manager records the patient’s details while nurses, under the supervision of doctors, begin treatment immediately.
Patients are classified into four priority categories:
- Red: Immediate treatment required
- Yellow: Urgent but can wait briefly
- Green: General or less critical cases
- Black: Patients with extremely critical or non-survivable conditions
The colour-coded system enables medical teams to prioritise treatment based on clinical urgency.
Emergency Care Revamped After Fatal Accident
Hospital officials said the emergency response system was overhauled following the death of Aman Gupta, a resident of Anandpuri, who died after a road accident due to delayed treatment. According to the hospital, the post-mortem examination attributed the death to excessive blood loss.
Following the incident, PMCH decided to implement the triage protocol to reduce treatment delays for critically injured patients.
Facility To Expand Next Month
Encouraged by the initial implementation, PMCH plans to expand the triage facility next month.
The ward will be shifted to a new building, where capacity will increase from 17 beds to 25 beds. Preparations for the expansion are already underway.
Hospital staff said the triage ward has already treated patients with a range of emergencies, including accident victims and medical emergencies requiring immediate intervention.
Hospital Says Round-The-Clock Care Available
PMCH Superintendent Rajiv Kumar Singh said dedicated doctors and nurses have been deployed to ensure continuous emergency care.
He said hospital staff have been instructed to begin treatment within five to seven minutes of a patient’s arrival, adding that the expansion to a 25-bed triage ward is expected to further strengthen emergency services at the hospital.
