Triage in the health care system during an influenza pandemic: a public health perspective

The current influenza pandemic confronting our health care system is a challenge for the responsible authorities to manage with an integrated, system-wide approach. As the entire health care system is likely to become overburdened, referrals between different levels of care should be coordinated, guided by the use of triage protocols. This paper discusses the new and important role of triage as a tool for managing patient flow during an influenza pandemic, although the specifics of the various protocols already in use internationally are not analyzed in detail. Certainly, triage is a key clinical tool at the service of public health. [Emergencias 2009;21:376-381]