New Team at Jamaica "Rapidly" Gaining Attention

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is proud to announce the creation of a “Rapid Response Team” to bring critical care expertise to the patient’s bedside.

The team, also known as a medical emergency team is multidisciplinary and consists of a Respiratory Therapist, Intensive Care Nurse, Nursing Supervisor and a Third Year Medical Resident.  This team was developed in collaboration with the Institute for Health Initiatives and is designed to decrease the likelihood of patient mortality by providing proactive assessment of patients before their situation becomes critical. 

The Rapid Response team has been in existence since March and currently responds to calls on the Hospital’s 3 North and 3 South Units, but plans to expand its coverage to the entire institution after training on the remaining units is complete. Staffed trained to date have been instructed on when to contact the Rapid Response Team.  The team can be called if there is a sudden or gradual change in a patient’s critical values but the team can also be called based solely on “a feeling”

Several studies have indicated that patients often exhibit signs and symptoms of instability some time before cardiac arrest.  In fact, 70% of patients show evidence of respiratory deterioration within eight hours of arrest and 66% of patients show other abnormal signs within six hours of arrest.  By making available a system to provide assessment before a situation worsens, Jamaica Hospital is attempting to respond to a spark before it becomes a fire.