Outcomes associated with the nationwide introduction of rapid response systems in the Netherlands. ► AHRQ Patient Safety Network

AHRQ Patient Safety Network

Pre-post study of introduction of rapid response teams in Netherlands finds evidence of fewer adverse events, deaths.
Crit Care Med. 2015 Aug 27; [Epub ahead of print].



Outcomes associated with the nationwide introduction of rapid response systems in the Netherlands.

Ludikhuize J, Brunsveld-Reinders AH, Dijkgraaf MG, et al; Cost and Outcomes of Medical Emergency Teams Study Group. Crit Care Med. 2015 Aug 27; [Epub ahead of print].

Rapid response teams have been championed as a strategy to improve hospital outcomes. However, evidence regarding their effectiveness is mixed, and rapid response teams remain controversial. In this pre-post study across multiple hospitals, the combined incidence of in-hospital death, cardiopulmonary arrest, and unplanned intensive care unit admission decreased following the introduction of rapid response teams compared to the pre-implementation time period. Although this study design does not offer definitive evidence that rapid response was the cause of the declining event rate, it does add support for the call in theNational Patient Safety Goal to implement rapid response more widely. Barriers to rapid response teamimplementation include personnel costs as well as existing culture which may lead to reluctance to activate a rapid response.

PubMed citation 
Available at 

Related Resources

STUDY

Effects of patient safety culture interventions on incident reporting in general practice: a cluster randomised trial.

Verbakel NJ, Langelaan M, Verheij TJM, Wagner C, Zwart DLM. Br J Gen Pract. 2015;65:e319-e329.

STUDY

Deployment of rapid response teams by 31 hospitals in a statewide collaborative.

Stolldorf DP, Jones CB. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2015;41:186-192.

STUDY

Modified Early Warning System improves patient safety and clinical outcomes in an academic community hospital.

Mathukia C, Fan W, Vadyak K, Biege C, Krishnamurthy M. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2015;5:26716.

STUDY

A comprehensive method to develop a checklist to increase safety of intra-hospital transport of critically ill patients.

Brunsveld-Reinders AH, Arbous MS, Kuiper SG, de Jonge E. Crit Care. 2015;19:214.

View all related resources...