Final triage methods to decide on home-isolation versus hospitalization in COVID-19 pandemic: a challenge for clinicians

Abstract

Objective: Final patient triage determines which patients can be home-isolated and which patients require hospitalization on the basis to predict the patient’s prognosis most accurately. Final triage is an important link in the clinical management chain of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and a comprehensive review of various patient triage methods is very important to guide decision making and triage efficiency. Decision by clinicians about hospitalization or home-discharge is one of the main challenges in places with limited hospital facilities compared to the high volume of COVID-19 patients. This review was designed to guide clinicians on how to address this challenge. Methods: In this mini review we searched scientific databases to obtain the final triage methods of COVID-19 patients and the important criteria in each method. In order to conducted searches a period from December 2019 to July 2020 was considered. All searches were done in electronic databases and search engines. Results: Findings revealed four current methods for final triage (decision-making regarding home-isolation or hospitalization of COVID-19 patients). These methods included 1) demographic and background information, 2) clinical information, 3) laboratory indicators and 4) initial chest CT-scan. Each of the aforementioned methods encompassed significant criteria according to which decisions on the patient’s prognosis and final triage were made. Finally, by evaluating each final triage method, we found that each method had some limitations. Conclusion: An effective and quick final triage requires simultaneous complementary use of all four methods to compensate for each other’s weaknesses and add to each other’s strengths. It is therefore suggested to assure that clinicians are trained in all four COVID-19 patient’s triage methods and their useful criteria in order to achieve evidence-based performance for better triage (decision between home-isolation versus hospitalization).