In an effort to provide more timely responses to clinical deteriorations, some pediatric medical centers have enabled family members to directly activate medical emergency teams (METs). This study used semistructured interviews to examine physicians' viewpoints on issues related to family-activated METs. Even though the majority of physicians said they depend on families to identify subtle changes in their child's condition, 93% of respondents reported that families should not be able to access the MET directly. Some concerns included families' lack of medical knowledge and training to determine when a MET is necessary, and the belief that this responsibility could provide an undue burden and stress on family members. These tensions are similar to prior discussions about other efforts to engage patients in their own safety during hospitalization.