Is there a role for patients and their relatives in escalating clinical deterioration in hospital? A systematic review (26 October 2016)

Summary

Measures exist to improve early recognition of, and response to, deteriorating patients in hospital. However, deteriorating patients continue to go unrecognized. To address this, interventions have been developed that invite patients and relatives to escalate patient deterioration to a rapid response team.

To systematically review articles that describe these interventions and investigate their effectiveness at reducing preventable deterioration.