Emergency Department Priority Assessment Criteria

Resuscitation: Conditions that are threats to life or limb (or imminent risk of deterioration) requiring immediate care. Examples are trauma, sepsis , shock , heart attack, unconscious

Emergent: Conditions that are a potential threat to life limb or function, requiring rapid medical treatment. Examples are head injury, breathing distress, vomiting blood, stroke overdose, altered mental state, severe high blood pressure

Urgent: Conditions that could progress to a serious problem requiring emergency care and treatment. Examples are asthma, abdominal pain, severe headache, minor trauma, high blood pressure, shortness of breath

Less Urgent: Conditions that are related to patient age, distress, or may have complications if not treated in 1-2 hours. Examples are headache, lower back pain, urinary tract infection, minor cut, sore throat, injured arm or leg

Non Urgent: Conditions that may be acute but non-urgent as well as conditions which may be part of a chronic problem with or without evidence of deterioration. Examples are minor scrapes and bite, dressing changes, chest infection, minor vomiting, minor diarrhea