NHS Lanarkshire is set to introduce a digital triage system to speed up patient assessment and prioritisation.
The health board will be the first in Scotland to implement eTriage, following its successful rollout in England. From next month, patients arriving at emergency departments will self-register using the system, which will continuously monitor the waiting room to ensure those in most urgent need receive timely care.
Claire Ritchie, interim director of NHS Lanarkshire’s interface directorate, said: “The introduction of eTriage is a proactive step to improve patient experience, prioritising urgent cases while reducing unnecessary delays.”
“Importantly, this system will support and enhance our existing processes — not replace them — ensuring that emergency care teams have better visibility and coordination.”
Claire continued, “By gathering key information from the outset, clinicians will “ensure critical cases are identified instantly, enabling faster, data-driven decision-making”.
The first kiosks are expected to be operational at University Hospital Monklands, which aims to become Scotland’s first fully digital hospital by 2031. This will be followed by a phased rollout to University Hospital Wishaw and University Hospital Hairmyres.
