Algorithm-directed triage in a pediatric acute care facility: a retrospective study.

Algorithm-directed triage by nonprofessionals was used to safely assign care urgency categories to 22,934 walk-in patients under 13 years of age during 1978. Of all patients, 16.7% were categorized as having urgent or potentially urgent problems at triage. Of those patients admitted, 79.12% received these urgency classifications. Additionally, 72.13% of all patients received an acute minor illness care urgency classification. Of patients admitted, 20.87% had an acute minor illness classification. A total of 11.16% of all patients received a routine or non-urgent classification. No patients admitted had been triaged to this non-urgent classification. As determined by review of records of 91 patients admitted from the acute care facility, the system safely identifies both high- and low-risk walk-in populations.