START

Medical abbreviation · Emergency Medicine

START
Stands forSimple Triage and Rapid Treatment
CategoriesMedical

START stands for Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment, an emergency medicine abbreviation also used in government.

Mass casualty triage method that sorts patients within seconds by ability to walk, breathing, perfusion and mental status into immediate (red), delayed (yellow), minor (green) or expectant/dead (black).

Example: START: RR 34, immediate red tag, moved to treatment area.

Usage notes

Developed in 1983 by Hoag Hospital and the Newport Beach Fire Department in California. Criteria include respiratory rate over 30, absent radial pulse or slow capillary refill, and inability to follow commands. JumpSTART is a pediatric adaptation.

More emergency medicine abbreviations

  • RSI – Rapid sequence intubation
  • RTS – Revised Trauma Score
  • SALT – Sort, assess, lifesaving interventions, treatment/transport
  • SAMPLE – Signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, past history, last oral…
  • SIRS – Systemic inflammatory response syndrome
  • SMR – Spinal motion restriction
  • SW – Stab wound
  • TBSA – Total body surface area
  • TCCC – Tactical Combat Casualty Care
  • TNCC – Trauma Nursing Core Course
  • TOD – Time of death
  • TOR – Termination of resuscitation

See all 97 emergency medicine abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.