In 2022 we compiled a list of the top 10 protocols used by college health organizations based on data from our student health customers using ClearTriage. With this school year in full swing and students back on campus, we thought it might be a good time to revisit the top telephone triage protocols used by ClearTriage nurses at student health clinics during the 2023/2024 school year.
The percentages seen next to the names of the protocols in the top 20 list below represent the percentage of all college health calls for the 2023/2024 school year. For example, 9.5% of all student health triage calls taken using ClearTriage during this time frame were related to sore throats.
Top 20 Student Health Protocols for 2023/2024:
- Sore Throat – 9.5%
Total Top 20 Student Health Protocols – 54.2%
Other Protocols Used – 45.8% - Cough – 7.3%
- Common Cold – 4.5%
- Sinus Pain or Congestion – 3.4%
- Chest Pain – 2.7%
- Head Injury – 2.5%
- COVID-19 – Diagnosed or Suspected – 2.4%
- Abdominal Pain – Female – 2.3%
- Influenza (Flu) – Seasonal – 2.1%
- Dizziness – 2%
- Rash or Redness – Localized – 1.9%
- Headache – 1.9%
- Earache – 1.8%
- Vomiting – 1.7%
- Eye – Pus or Discharge – 1.5%
- Diarrhea – 1.4%
- Rash or Redness – Widespread – 1.4%
- Breathing Difficulty – 1.3%
- Vaginal Symptoms – 1.2%
- Urinary Symptoms – 1.2%
Sore Throat was the most commonly used protocol both last year and in the 2021/2022 school year. However, in 2021/2022 COVID-19 Diagnosed or Suspected was the second most commonly used protocol, whereas last year Cough, Cold, and Sinus Pain were all used more frequently than that COVID-19 protocol. This mirrors the shift in healthcare focus from aggressively preventing the spread of COVID to avoiding the presumption of a COVID-19 diagnosis and instead triaging the specific symptoms presented. Finally, it’s interesting to note that Head Injury was much more commonly used last year, perhaps reflecting a return to more normal physical activities.
The protocols listed above are all Adult protocols, which are the recommended choice for student health organizations. As stated by the protocol authors in their Clinical User’s Guide, the Adult protocols are designed for individuals aged 16 and older, encompassing the majority of college populations. For more information about using ClearTriage in your college health organization, see our College Health Clinics page. It’s loaded with information and other resources to help streamline your student health telephone triage process!
P.S. If your student health center doesn’t have triage nurses but instead uses MAs or other non-clinical staff to handle symptom-based calls, take a look at SymptomScreen, our product that helps non-clinical staff prioritize symptom-based calls. Or, if you are ready to review the nurse triage protocols in more detail, sign up for a free ClearTriage trial account and choose the adult protocols.
ClearTriage is a web-based decision support tool for telephone triage nurses and the leading provider of the Schmitt-Thompson telephone triage protocols. Contact us to learn more or start your 30-day free trial today.
