A narrative literature review on the triage process in the United States, India, and Saudi Arabia

Introduction: The triage process is a critical component of emergency department (ED) operations, prioritizing patients based on the urgency of their medical conditions. This narrative review provides a comparative analysis of triage systems in three countries: the United States of America (USA), India, and Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Material and methods: The study examines the current triage practices, identifying key strengths and areas for improvement within each healthcare system. In the USA, well-established protocols, such as the Emergency Severity Index (ESI), are widely adopted, benefiting from technological advancements and consistent training. However, India and Saudi Arabia face significant challenges, including a lack of standardization, inadequate resource allocation, and limited integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in their triage processes.
Results: This review identifies major gaps in the literature, such as insufficient research on the effectiveness of triage systems in low-resource settings like India, the need for comprehensive studies on AI-driven triage, and the absence of localized studies on resource management during mass gatherings.
Conclusion: Future research directions are proposed, including exploring AI and Generative AI (GenAI) in triage and the importance of cross-country collaborations to develop adaptable and efficient global triage systems. Addressing these gaps will be essential in improving the quality of emergency care and optimizing triage outcomes across diverse healthcare environments.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, triage process, United States of America, India, Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Address for correspondence:
Amal ALTALHI
Information systems and Technology, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, USA
Email: amal.altalhi@cgu.edu