The central tenet behind rapid response systems (RRS) is that any provider should be able to summon prompt assistance if concerned about a patient. In the spirit of the National Patient Safety Goal that calls for engaging patients in safety efforts, some hospitals are now allowing patients and families to call the rapid response team directly. This report from a community hospital discusses the education and implementation process and describes the first series of RRS calls initiated by family members. Many of the family-initiated calls revealed communication issues between patients and clinicians, which the RRS was able to successfully negotiate.

This article discusses one hospital's experience in launching a rapid response team initiative and describes results from the effort, including cost savings and improved outcomes.