Singapore's New 995 Triage System: NurseFirst Offers a Smarter Approach to Emergency Calls

Singapore Launches NurseFirst Helpline to Ease 995 Overload Singapore is improving its emergency response system with a new nationwide trial. Non-life-threatening calls to the emergency number 995 are now redirected to NurseFirst, a medical triage helpline. This initiative aims to free up emergency lines for genuinely life-threatening situations. NurseFirst uses a structured system to assess the severity of medical issues. "So we want to simply be able to understand what the situation is like through the questions that are on the protocol," explains Dr. Jade Kua, NurseFirst's clinical lead. These protocols, she adds, are internationally standardized, ensuring consistency and safety. Col Dr David Pflug, Chief Medical Officer of the Singapore Civil Defence Force, explains the protocol: "The actual protocol is to describe to the person on the other end of the line what is the (burn) size in terms of coin size and palm size, and they would just estimate something that they would understand and communicate." This approach allows for quick assessment and efficient resource allocation. The trial is expected to improve the efficiency of emergency services, ensuring that urgent cases receive prompt attention. The use of internationally recognized protocols adds a layer of reliability and reduces the risk of misjudgments. The initiative is a step towards a more robust and responsive healthcare system in Singapore.