title: The Medical Emergency Team.
abstract: The concept of a Medical Emergency Team was developed in order to rapidly identify and manage seriously ill patients at risk of cardiopulmonary arrest and other high-risk conditions. The aim of this study was to describe the utilization and outcome of Medical Emergency Team interventions over a one-year period at a teaching hospital in South Western Sydney. Data was collected prospectively using a standardized form. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation occurred in 148/522 (28%) calls. Alerting the team using the specific condition criteria occurred in 253/522 (48%) calls and on physiological/pathological abnormality criteria in 121/522 (23%) calls. Survival rate to hospital discharge following cardiopulmonary arrest was low (29%), compared with other medical emergencies (76%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthetics and Intensive Care, Liverpool Hospital, N.S.W.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hillman
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Daffurn
mesh_terms: D018806:APACHE; D001049:Apnea / Q000628:therapy; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003422:Critical Care; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy; D006757:Hospital Units; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome