Triage Form

Let’s take a look at the Patient Triage Form. The highlighted areas indicate information that should be collected by your PCF during the initial call. This includes: ​

• Patient name​
• Date​
• Staff member who took the initial call ​
• If an appointment was scheduled ​
• Medical Insurance ​
• Patient's desire to be seen and ​
• Whether or not this has happened before​

​Your PCF (Patient Communications Facilitator) should also have documented the patient’s reported symptoms. ​

Reported symptoms will typically be one of the following listed in the second column. This will usually indicate an emergency situation and prompt attention should be given by your team. It is important that we notify the doctor immediately upon their arrival.

Now it is your responsibility to document and elaborate on reported symptoms. This includes: ​

• Location: for example right eye, left eye, or both eyes ​
• Onset: when did this start ​?
• Severity: mild – is it noticeable? moderate – is it bothersome? severe: disruptive/intense​?
• Timing: is this consistent or are the symptoms inconsistent? ​
• CL wearer: yes or no? Does the patient wear contact lenses?​

If your PCF has collected this information, you may copy this over into your EMR. The HPIs can be useful information to monitor a patient’s progression or regression during and after treatment.​

Treatment may result in the doctor prescribing an ointment, drops, or oral medications. It is important to verify any medication allergies within your EMR (electronic medical record), whether the patient is new or established. ​

Due to a reduced workup time, we have to work quickly while still being thorough. Ask the patient if there is any medical history or medications that we should be aware of and document in the chart. This can usually streamline any pertinent information for the doctor. The doctor may provide a more thorough review of medical, social, and family history, depending on diagnosis and treatment plan. ​​

Also, I want to remind you of the importance of documenting accurately. Some cases may be injuries that have resulted from a car or workplace accident. These documents on the chart can end up in a court of law.