Which term describes prioritizing patients in disaster scenarios?

• A. Medico-legal Liability
• B. Base Physician
• C. Field Triage
• D. Medical Control Guidelines

Answer: (C)

Field triage is the rapid prioritization of patients in disaster or mass-casualty situations to allocate limited medical resources where they can do the most good. In these events, there aren’t enough responders or treatments for everyone at once, so the goal is to identify who can benefit immediately and who can wait, ensuring that those with life-threatening injuries but a reasonable chance of survival receive attention first. This process often uses a simple prioritization scheme and is performed in the field by EMS personnel, with ongoing re-evaluation as conditions change. Medico-legal liability deals with the legal responsibilities and potential liabilities in patient care, base physician refers to guidance from a physician at a distant or central location, and medical control guidelines are the protocols that direct care decisions. Field triage specifically describes the in-the-moment prioritization of who gets cared for first in disaster scenarios.