ABSTRACT
The term triage originates from the French verb trier which means to sort, to select or to classify. Triage is mainly an evaluation or assessment process of the medical condition of victims and categorisation of victims into gravity classes according to sustained injuries, vital and functional prognosis. In the hospital triage area, specially trained physicians make a final triage of casualties, taking into consideration present needs for medical and surgical treatment in comparison with available resources. Triage is an evolutive process: assessment of the patient medical condition all along the chain of medical care. Triage policies and protocols for mass casualty situations must be developed by the appropriate medical authorities in conjunction with experienced legal advice. The most likely reason for the failure of tagging is that the use of triage tags represents a change from day-to-day operations at a time when stress and disorder are highest.
