@article{11152,
  author = {M. A. Devita and R. S. Braithwaite and R. Mahidhara and S. Stuart and M. Foraida and R. L. Simmons and Medical Emergency Response Improvement Team},
  title = {Use of medical emergency team responses to reduce hospital cardiopulmonary arrests.},
  abstract = {<p><b>BACKGROUND: </b>Medical emergency team (MET) responses have been implemented to reduce inpatient mortality, but data on their efficacy are sparse and there have been no reports to date from US hospitals.</p><p><b>OBJECTIVES: </b>To determine how the incidence and outcomes of cardiac arrests have changed following increased use of MET.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>Objective criteria for MET activation were created and disseminated as part of a crisis management program, after which there was a rapid and sustained increase in the use of MET. A retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes was performed to compare the incidence and mortality of cardiopulmonary arrest before and after the increased use of MET.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>A retrospective analysis of 3269 MET responses and 1220 cardiopulmonary arrests over 6.8 years showed an increase in MET responses from 13.7 to 25.8 per 1000 admissions (p<0.0001) after instituting objective activation criteria. There was a coincident 17% decrease in the incidence of cardiopulmonary arrests from 6.5 to 5.4 per 1000 admissions (p = 0.016). The proportion of fatal arrests was similar before and after the increase in use of MET.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>Increased use of MET may be associated with fewer cardiopulmonary arrests.</p>},
  year = {2004},
  journal = {Qual Saf Health Care},
  volume = {13},
  pages = {251-4},
  month = {08/2004},
  issn = {1475-3898},
  language = {eng},
}