Decreasing failure-to-rescue events in the era of rapid response systems

In-hospital medical emergencies including in-hospital cardiac arrests, unplanned ICU admissions, and unexpected deaths occur frequently and represent, in many of the cases, failure of the health care system to recognize and respond promptly to signs of deterioration. Rapid response systems are an intervention for this problem, but benefits remain uncertain. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology of in-hospital medical emergencies, the different components of the response system, and potential improvements to decrease failure-to-rescue events. ©