Improving Clinical Decision-Making: A Focus on Early Warning Systems and Scoring Methods

Dear Editor, Examinations, laboratory tests, radiology, and clinical experience are required to make the most appropriate decisions. There is no single universal decision-making method advocated in routine medical literature. Often, this process driven by experience, exploration, gestalt. Clinician management serves as a subjective decision tool disease management. It has been extensively studied literature, particularly entities such pulmonary embolism, difficult airway prediction, severe COVID-19 (1). By combining parameters laboratory-vital combined hematological parameters, tools have developed (2-3). Early warning systems (EWS) help predict which patients will require critical care evaluating physiological busy crowded workspaces. These scores, can be measured through vital simple physical examination, ensure effective use of resources (4). In intensive units (ICUs), complex used mortality. APACHE II well-known score care, consisting many that computationally difficult. Vital biochemical blood gas analysis results when calculating (5). On other hand, important features scores emergency department their quick easy calculation, requiring professional knowledge. The VitalPAC Warning Score (ViEWS), Prytherch et al. 2010, an EWS includes six parameters. This records pulse rate, systolic pressure, respiratory minute body temperature, level consciousness (assessed AVPU), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) ViEWS created based on degree deviation these from normal ranges. Additional points given if patient receives support. total value, calculated considering each parameter, provides information about patient's prognosis (6). adding rapid lactate (ViEWS-L), better predicts outcomes geriatric population was (7). Modified (MEWS) one triage scoring methods identify need expedite transfer unit. evaluates heart neurological status. MEWS included nursing procedures some countries routinely assessed nurses. ICU admission rates mortality increase for those who 5 or more scale, although threshold may vary different populations situations. Korean study analyzing sepsis patients, with improved prediction (8). National (NEWS) another system determine deterioration follow-up all hospitalized well clinically high-risk patients. saturation, support status, NEWS-L score, obtained NEWS lactate, reported superior alone critically ill (9). However, contrary study, Özkan's not they exhibited similar predictive abilities (10). As result, researchers actively working new optimize resource utilization illness. Researchers should encouraged investigate studies combinations combinations.