Yellow Triage Category: Low Acuity – Meaning and Patient Expectations

In many triage systems (e.g., Emergency Severity Index - ESI, Canadian Triage Acuity Scale - CTAS), Yellow typically designates low acuity / urgent but not emergent.

Yellow Triage Characteristics

• Condition: Stable vital signs; no immediate life threat.
• Symptoms: Moderate pain, minor injuries, stable chronic exacerbation, mild allergic reaction, sprain/strain, minor laceration, URI symptoms.
• Time to provider: Typically seen within 30–120 minutes (varies by system and ED volume).
• Resource needs: Usually 1–2 resources (labs, imaging, simple procedure).

Comparison (ESI Example)

Level	Color	Acuity	Examples
1	Red	Resuscitation	Cardiac arrest, severe trauma
2	Orange	Emergent	Chest pain, stroke, severe asthma
3	Yellow	Urgent	Abdominal pain, moderate injury
4	Green	Less Urgent	Minor laceration, UTI symptoms
5	Blue	Non-Urgent	Prescription refill, suture removal

Patient Guidance

If triaged Yellow: remain in waiting area, notify staff if condition worsens, expect wait, bring medications/list. Do not leave without reassessment.