What is the primary goal of using triage in emergency settings?

The primary goal of using triage in emergency settings is to prioritize treatment based on the severity of conditions. Triage is a process that assesses the urgency of a patient's medical needs, allowing healthcare providers to determine which patients require immediate attention and which can safely wait. In emergency situations where resources and staff may be limited, effective triage ensures that those with the most critical health issues receive timely care, which can significantly impact patient outcomes. This method optimizes the overall efficiency of the emergency department, as it focuses on delivering the right care to the right patient at the right time, rather than distributing resources uniformly regardless of the medical urgency.