Introduction of an obstetric-specific medical emergency team for obstetric crises: implementation and experience.
OBJECTIVE
We describe the implementation and experience with adding an obstetric-specific medical emergency team (called Condition O for obstetric crisis) to an existing rapid response system at Magee-Womens Hospital.


METHODS
In response to deficits identified during patient safety review of adverse obstetric events in 2004 and 2005, the hospital administration decided to add a crisis team with expertise specifically designed for maternal and/or fetal crises.


RESULTS
During the first 6 months, staff rarely called Condition O (14 per 10,000 obstetric admissions). After reeducation efforts, use of Condition O increased to 62 per 10,000 obstetric admissions during 2006.


CONCLUSIONS
We outline our hospital's experience with implementation, efforts to address low utilization, and 1.5 years of Condition O event data. Condition O is a work in progress. In light of this, we discuss the challenges of measuring its patient safety outcome, considerations for team size and composition, and our efforts to determine an optimal Condition O rate.
Gosman
Gabriella G
GG
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. ggosman@mail.magee.edu
Baldisseri
Marie R
MR
Stein
Karen L
KL
Nelson
Trish A
TA
Pedaline
Susan H
SH
Waters
Jonathan H
JH
Simhan
Hyagriv N
HN
D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy