Comparison of Reverse Triage with National Early Warning Score, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment and Charlson Comorbidity Index to classify medical inpatients of an Italian II level hospital according to their resource’s need

This study compares reverse triage with common clinical scoring tools to assess hospital patients’ care needs and resource use. Reverse triage alone did not clearly distinguish patients, as most were already high acuity, but a modified version (RT sum) better reflected actual resource demand. RT and NEWS together showed the strongest alignment with patient care needs, linking both illness severity and complexity. Patients with lower RT scores were discharged sooner, while higher comorbidity drove longer stays. SOFA was better at predicting mortality. Overall, combining tools provides a more accurate way to prioritize patients and manage limited hospital resources during routine care or surge events.