Clinical triggers: an alternative to a rapid response team

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety
• Clinical Interventions

Background:

• Unmet patient needs in clinical deterioration require innovative solutions.
• Existing rapid response systems (RRTs) may not fully prevent patient decline.
• Hospital-specific programs can address limitations in current patient monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of DHMC's clinical triggers program on patient outcomes.
• To assess the program's effectiveness in preventing cardiopulmonary arrests and ICU bouncebacks.
• To highlight the importance of clarifying primary responder expectations in patient deterioration protocols.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a clinical triggers program at DHMC.
• Monitoring of non-ICU cardiopulmonary arrest rates.
• Tracking of ICU bounceback rates.
• Analysis of the program's alignment with hospital resources and teaching mission.

Main Results:

• Dramatic reductions observed in non-ICU cardiopulmonary arrest rates.
• Significant decrease in ICU bounceback rates.
• Program demonstrated feasibility within existing hospital resources.

Conclusions:

• DHMC's clinical triggers program is a promising approach to address patient deterioration.
• Focusing on preventing ongoing deterioration may offer greater benefits than solely relying on rapid response teams.
• Clarifying primary responder roles is crucial for effective patient safety interventions.