Evaluation of the COVID-19 Triage Results in an Education Family Practice Center

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 triage results of the admissions made by patients in a certain region to the Education Family Practice Center (E-FPC) during the pandemic period.
METHODS: Patients aged 18 years and above, who were applied to the E-FPC between March 12 and April 30, 2020, were included in the study. Every patient had filled in a triage form. Potential cases were referred to a high-level healthcare center. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and chest computed tomography (CT) results of the referred patients were followed up and noted.
RESULTS: Four hundred sixty-one patients were included in the study. Twenty-seven (5.9%) patients had a fever, 219 (47.5%) patients had a cough, 34 (7.4%) patients had dyspnea, and 305 (66.2%) patients had other symptoms. Eighty-six (18.6%) of the patients were admitted to the hospital for PCR test of which 15 (17.4%) had a positive test result. Seventy-one (15.4%) patients underwent a chest CT and 25 (35.2%) of them had results compatible with COVID-19. Fever was detected in 8 (53.3%) of the patients with a positive PCR result and in 6 (8.5%) patients with a negative PCR result (p<0.001). Dyspnea was detected in 13 (52.0%) patients whose chest CT results were compatible with COVID-19 and in 5 (10.9%) patients whose chest CT results were not compatible with COVID-19 (p<0.001).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Symptoms, CT imaging, and PCR results should be evaluated together in the diagnosis of COVID-19. Triage practices should be maintained in primary healthcare centers throughout the pandemic.