Geisinger Life Flight Radio Codes

[ChrisRupert]

Working at the 911 center I have heard Geisinger talking to field units and then back to Geisinger primarily on the UHF-MED Frequencies. I have recently heard them state that a patient is "Code 5" and that's all I heard then. Are these Codes the patient classification codes in START Triage (i.e. Code 1 is Critical, Code 2 Stable Code 3 Minor Code 4 DOA)? If so, what would a 5 be? Just curious as to see if anyone knows. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

[bauker]

Code 5 = Class 5?

Probably the code 5 designator means class 5 which in most areas is the DOA. I think class 4 is rarely used and may mean that the patient has no issues and so EMS is a Taxi.

 

[ctrabs74]

Probably the code 5 designator means class 5 which in most areas is the DOA. I think class 4 is rarely used and may mean that the patient has no issues and so EMS is a Taxi.

This is what Philadelphia, Bucks County, and Montgomery County uses to classify patients (which, I'm presuming, is the same as what Geisinger uses):

Class 1 - High Priority/Critical
Class 2 - Medium Priority
Class 3 - Low Priority/Routine
Class 4 - Psychiatric Patient (Class 4X - Violent Psych Patient)
Class 5 - DOA

(Side note: MontCo 329 - Goodwill Ambulance/Pottstown - uses the above system even when responding on Chester County radio, most likely out of force of habit.)