NEWS Scoring System: Use in Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics Patient Populations

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria can be overly sensitive in detecting clinical deterioration in hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics (HMCT) populations. This may create inconsistency in activation of a rapid response team (RRT) with patient decline.

The aim is to evaluate the implementation and use of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) scoring system in the HMCT population.

Retrospective data collection from 2016 to 2017 was used. NEWS scores were calculated every 4 hours for the 24 hours prior to RRT activation. The difference between the time of the first NEWS score of 5 or greater and the RRT activation time mean and median values were calculated for the pre- and postimplementation time frames.

A statistically significant decrease in the mean time between patients meeting a NEWS score of 5 or greater and RRT activation was noted in the postimplementation group. An increase in frequency of escalation of care to the intensive care unit for patients with multiple RRT activations during admission was statistically significant.