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Review
. 2025 Apr 28;49(1):55.
doi: 10.1007/s10916-025-02186-z.

Ten Steps for Implementing a Hospital Rapid Response System

Luca Cioccari  1   2 , Céline Bolliger  3 , Nora Luethi  4
Affiliations
Review

Ten Steps for Implementing a Hospital Rapid Response System

Luca Cioccari et al. J Med Syst. .

Abstract

Rapid response systems (RRS) were introduced in the 1990s to address acute patient deterioration outside intensive care units, aiming to prevent adverse outcomes through timely assessment and intervention. While RRS have been widely adopted across many countries, their effectiveness and optimal implementation strategies continue to be debated. These uncertainties arise from differences in study designs, hospital settings, and implementation approaches, highlighting the challenges of implementing and evaluating such complex interventions. This review outlines the key steps for successful RRS implementation, explores strategies to overcome implementation barriers, and highlights strategies for continuous improvement and evaluation of established RRS initiatives.

Keywords: Critical Care; Hospital Rapid Response Team; Implementation; Medical Emergency Team; Patient Safety.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics and Consent to Participate: Not applicable. Clinical Trial Number: Not applicable. Competing Interests: LC has received research grants from the Research Counsil of the Cantonal Hospital Aarau, educational & travel grants from Hamilton Medical, educational grants from Fresenius Medical Care, speaker honoraria from OrphaSwiss and is an advisory board member for OrphaSwiss.

References

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