How do Rapid Response Teams work? What are their characteristics, impacts, and methods of implementation? A litterature review

Introduction: Hospitalized patients are at risk of unrecognized clinical deterioration that may lead to adverse events.
Context: Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) exist around the world as a strategy to improve patient safety.
Objective: To explore how RRTs work, their characteristics, impacts, and methods of implementation.
Design: Literature review.
Method: Consultation of the databases CINAHL, MEDLINE, PUBMED, COCHRANE library, SCOPUS, and PROQUEST Dissertations and Theses. Keywords: “health care team” and “rapid response team”.
Results: 121 articles were included. The collected data were divided into five categories: 1) composition and operation of RRTs, 2) benefits and limitations of RRTs, 3) perceptions of RRTs by health care teams, organizations, and patients, 4) implementation strategies, and 5) facilitators and barriers to implementation.
Discussion: Although there are many articles related to RRTs, it appears that: 1) few studies analyze the difference in outcomes in hospitalized patients related to the composition of RRTs, 2) few studies describe how RRTs should work, 3) more studies are needed on the impacts of RRTs on hospitalized patients, 4) organizations’ and patients’ perceptions of RRTs are not well studied, and 5) more studies are needed on the best way to implement an RRT.
Conclusion: The results show that there is a lack of studies on the difference in outcomes in hospitalized patients related to the composition of RRTs, on how RRTs should work, on the impacts of RRTs on hospitalized patients, on organizations’ and patients’ perceptions of RRTs, and on the factors that influence the success or failure of the implementation of an RRT.