Rapid response teams in hospitals are comprised of a group of physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists that can be called by the floor nurse to rapidly come to the patients bedside with the goal of preventing further deterioration. Although many hospitals have specific criteria where the rapid response team should be called, one of the benefits is that the bedside nurse can call the team if their intuition tells them that something is wrong, even if they cannot specifically identify a red flag. The video to the right describes in layman's terms the rapid response team at the Mayo Clinic. The rapid response team should include the primary team of doctors rather than replace them if care is to be optimal. Read this short paper at the AHRQ Patient Safety Network.

Schedule a phone call with our CEO here if you would like to create a remote learning course or organize a conference on quality and safety.

In some hospitals, patients and family can activate the rapid response team. Fears that they might abuse this authority have been unfounded, and they are often in the best position to recognize subtle changes before further deterioration and de-compensation occur.

American College of Healthcare Trustees get a 10% discount on a LECOM Masters of Health Services Administration or Masters of Science in Biomedical Ethics.