Evaluating implementation of a rapid response team: considering alternative outcome measures

Objective: Determine the prolonged effect of rapid response team (RRT) implementation on failure to rescue (FTR).

Design: Longitudinal study of institutional performance with control charts and Bayesian change point (BCP) analysis.

Setting: Two academic hospitals in Midwest, USA.

Participants: All inpatients discharged between 1 September 2005 and 31 December 2010.

Intervention: Implementation of an RRT serving the Mayo Clinic Rochester system was phased in for all inpatient services beginning in September 2006 and was completed in February 2008.

Main outcome measure: Modified version of the AHRQ FTR measure, which identifies hospital mortalities among medical and surgical patients with specified in-hospital complications.

Results: A decrease in FTR, as well as an increase in the unplanned ICU transfer rate, occurred in the second-year post-RRT implementation coinciding with an increase in RRT calls per month. No significant decreases were observed pre- and post-implementation for cardiopulmonary resuscitation events or overall mortality. A significant decrease in mortality among non-ICU discharges was identified by control charts, although this finding was not detected by BCP or pre- vs. post-analyses.

Conclusions: Reduction in the FTR rate was associated with a substantial increase in the number of RRT calls. Effects of RRT may not be seen until RRT calls reach a sufficient threshold. FTR rate may be better at capturing the effect of RRT implementation than the rate of cardiac arrests. These results support prior reports that short-term studies may underestimate the impact of RRT systems, and support the need for ongoing monitoring and assessment of outcomes to facilitate best resource utilization.