Patients brought to the zero delay ward of Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) are currently being treated under three categories based on the nature of emergency for better trauma care.
The new system is operated under Tamil Nadu Accident and Emergency Care Initiative (TAEI), a new wing of the State Health Department aimed at reducing fatalities caused in road road accidents. CMCH is one of the select government hospitals in the State where TAEI has been implemented.
Under the new arrangement, condition of the patients brought to the zero delay ward is assessed by an experienced trauma care team at the triage room before according them colour codes.
“Green, yellow and red colour codes are given to three categories based on the nature of the emergency. Those given green colour code are treated as outpatients and sent home. Patients coming under yellow are admitted and treated as inpatients. People brought with severe trauma requiring care at intensive medical care unit are accorded red colour code,” said R. Soundravel, Resident Medical Officer of CMCH.
For implementing TAEI, a triage room has been set up outside the zero delay ward of the hospital. Patients brought to the ward are assessed by doctors at the triage room before according them the colour codes. While the ward those given green colour code is located at the zero delay ward itself, those for yellow and red colour codes are located close to it. The floor has been marked with green, yellow and red colour strips for easy navigation into each ward.
“With TAEI functional, doctors from departments of trauma, casualty, medicine, surgery, neuro surgery, plastic surgery and orthopaedic surgery will be available for patients' care round the clock,” said Dr. Soundravel.
The main reason for the establishment of TAEI in CMCH is due to the network of highways connecting Coimbatore where majority of serious and fatal accidents take place.
Three national highways namely NH 544, NH 181 and NH 83 are passing through Coimbatore. The zero delay ward of CMCH, a tertiary level referral hospital for the region, handles at least 400 patients a day. Patients from the Nilgiris, Tirupur, Dindigul and Eorde are referred to CMCH for advanced treatment.