A NEW TEAM - Marshall Medical Center

A New Team by Your Side
Marshall introduces Rapid Response Team
to support inpatient care
It’s our number #1
value as a healthcare
organization: Our
patients come first.
What exactly does that
mean One example
comes in the form of a
new program available
to hospital patients and
visitors, known as the
Rapid Response Team,
or RRT, for short. We sat
down with Performance
Improvement Manager,
Donna Hayman, RN,
to get the facts on this
new program.
FYH: In a nutshell, what is
the RRT
Donna: Think of it as an “ICU
without walls.” The RRT includes
three people at all times, regardless
of shift: an Intensive Care Unit RN,
an Emergency Department RN and
a Respiratory Therapist. These are
specially trained and qualified clinical
experts who are there to quickly
respond to concerning changes in a
patient’s condition. They don’t take
the place of the patient’s primary
nurse or the patient’s doctor, but
they are there to support the care.
Physicians have been very supportive
of the program.
FYH: Why has Marshall
implemented this program
Donna: It’s part of a program
introduced by the national organization,
the Joint Commission on
Hospital Accreditation, which establishes
guidelines and expectations
for accredited hospitals to meet.
The program is another step being
taken to improve patient care. As a
Joint Commission accredited hospital,
Marshall adheres to all existing
and new guidelines.
FYH: Who would contact
the RRT
Donna: In October, we implemented
the RRT internally, to give
our clinical staff training time and
some opportunity to experience
how it would work. If the nurse
on duty noticed a change that was
concerning, and he or she wanted
to consult with someone else, the
RRT could be contacted and they
respond within five minutes. As
of January 1, patient’s and visitors
may call on this team as well.
All they have to do is pick up any
hospital phone, call 555 and request
the Rapid Response Team to
that room. The team will be paged
on their beepers, and they’ll be on
their way.
FYH: How has the program
worked internally so far
Donna: Very well. We have had an
average of 2 calls per week so far.
The majority of those occurred as
anticipated, when the nurse observed
changes that were concerning,
and consultation with the RRT
was helpful.
4 For Your Health www.marshallmedical.org