How are patients categorized in the START triage system?

The START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) triage system categorizes patients into four specific groups: Immediate, Delayed, Minor, and Deceased. This system is designed to prioritize treatment based on the severity of injuries and the urgency of medical intervention required.

• Immediate patients are those who need immediate medical assistance to survive, often due to life-threatening conditions.

• Delayed patients are those whose treatment can be postponed without significant risk to their lives, allowing for the focus to be on more critical cases.

• Minor patients are those with less severe injuries that require minimal medical intervention and can wait until more urgent cases have been addressed.

• Deceased patients are those who show no signs of life or who have injuries so severe that they are beyond help.

The use of this triage system enables medical personnel to make quick and effective decisions in emergency situations, maximizing the potential for saving lives. The correct categorization not only helps in managing resources effectively during mass casualty incidents but also ensures that the most critically injured receive care first. Other options, such as categorizing by age, gender, vital signs, or medical history, do not align with the primary goal of the START system, which is specifically focused on the level of urgency for treatment rather than