Back to Search
Start Over
Early impact of medical emergency team implementation in a country with limited medical resources: A before-and-after study.
- Source :
- Journal of Critical Care; Aug2011, Vol. 26 Issue 4, p373-378, 6p
- Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine whether earlier clinical intervention by a medical emergency team (MET) can improve patient outcomes in an Asian country. Methods: A nonrandomized study was performed during two 6-month periods before and after the introduction of a MET. Results: The rates of cardiac arrests and “potentially preventable” cardiac arrests were lower after MET introduction, but the differences did not reach statistical significance. There was a statistically significant decrease in the incidence of cardiac arrests in the first 3 months of the academic year (2.3 vs 1.2 per 1000 admissions, P = .012). Introduction of MET reduced the time interval from physiologic derangement meeting MET activation criteria to intensive care unit (ICU) admission (“derangement-to-ICU interval”) (10.8 vs 6.3 hours, P < .001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the mortality of unplanned ICU admissions was independently associated with simplified acute physiology score 3 and “derangement-to-ICU interval.” Conclusions: Introduction of a MET reduced the number of cardiac arrests in the general ward during the first 3 months of the academic year. Introduction of MET also decreased the “derangement-to-ICU interval,” which was an independent predictor of survival in patients with unplanned ICU admissions. Therefore, MET introduction may lead to improved outcomes for hospitalized patients in a country with limited medical resources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 08839441
- Volume :
- 26
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Supplemental Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Critical Care
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 63555639
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrc.2010.08.019