Incorporating a real-time automatic alerting system based on electronic medical records could improve rapid response systems: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Rapid response systems (RRSs) are essential components of patient safety systems; however, limited evidence exists regarding their effectiveness and optimal structures. We aimed to assess the activation patterns and outcomes of RRS implementation with/without a real-time automatic alerting system (AAS) based on electronic medical records (EMRs). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of patients for whom the RRS was activated in the surgical wards of a tertiary university hospital. We compared the code rate, in-hospital mortality, unplanned intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and other clinical outcomes before and after applying RRS and AAS as follows: pre-RRS (January 2013–July 2015), RRS without AAS (August 2015–November 2016), and RRS with AAS (December 2016–December 2017). RESULTS: In-hospital mortality per 1000 admissions decreased from 15.1 to 12.9 after RRS implementation (p < 0.001). RRS activation per 1000 admissions increased from 14.4 to 26.3 after AAS implementation. The severity of patients’ condition calculated using the modified early warning score increased from 2.5 (± 2.1) in the RRS without AAS to 3.6 (± 2.1) (p < 0.001) in the RRS with AAS. The total and preventable code rates and in-hospital mortality rates were comparable between the RRS implementation periods without/with AAS. ICU duration and mortality results improved in patients with RRS activation and unplanned ICU admission. The data of RRS non-activated group remained unaltered during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Real-time AAS based on EMRs might help identify unstable patients. Early detection and intervention with RRS may improve patient outcomes. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13049-021-00979-y.