Can proactive rapid response team rounding improve surveillance and reduce unplanned escalations in care? A controlled before and after study.

Background: Unplanned escalations manifest as a breakdown of hospital care attributable to clinician error through missed or delayed identification of physiological instability, ineffective treatment, or iatrogenic harm.

Objectives: To examine the impact of an Early Warning Score-based proactive rapid response team model on the frequency of unplanned intra-hospital escalations in care compared with a rapid response team model based on staff nurse identification of vital sign derangements.

Design: Pre- and post Early Warning Score-guided proactive rapid response team model intervention.

Postoperative emergency response team activation at a large tertiary medical center.

Objective: To study characteristics and outcomes associated with emergency response team (ERT) activation in postsurgical patients discharged to regular wards after anesthesia.

Patients And Methods: We identified all ERT activations that occurred within 48 hours after surgery from June 1, 2008, through December 31, 2009, in patients discharged from the postanesthesia care unit to regular wards. For each ERT case, up to 2 controls matched for age (±10 years), sex, and type of procedure were identified.