A rapid response team (RRT), also known as a medical emergency team (MET) and high acuity response team (HART), is a team of health care providers that responds to hospitalized patients with early signs of deterioration on non-intensive care units to prevent

respiratory The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies gre ...

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possi ...

. The health care providers are trained in early resuscitation interventions and advanced life support and may include a physician,

nurse Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ca ...

, pharmacist, or

respiratory therapist A respiratory therapist is a specialized healthcare practitioner trained in critical care and cardio-pulmonary medicine in order to work therapeutically with people who have acute critical conditions, cardiac and pulmonary disease. Respirato ...

. The RRT, medical emergency team (MET), critical care outreach team (CCOT), and rover team are all different forms of the outgoing component of the

rapid response system A rapid response system (RRS) is a tool implemented in hospitals designed to identify and respond to patients with early signs of clinical deterioration on non-intensive care units with the goal of preventing respiratory or cardiac arrest. A RRS co ...

. The team responds to calls placed by clinicians or families at the bedside who have detected deterioration. Some teams may also provide care during transport between hospitals, acting as a critical care transport team.

Effectiveness

Rapid response teams appear to decrease the rates of

and

outside the intensive care unit. They also appear to decrease the chance of death in hospital. Overall effectiveness of RRTs is somewhat controversial due to the variability across studies.

References

{{reflist, 32em Critical emergency medicine Emergency medical responders

Effectiveness

See also

References