@article{16200,
  author = {Flabouris A. and Chen J. and Finfer Simon and Bellomo Rinaldo and MERIT Study Investigators and ANZICS Clinical Trial Group (Writing Committee) and Hillman K.},
  title = {Timing and interventions of emergency teams during the MERIT study},
  abstract = {<p>
AIMS: To examine interventions and timing of emergency team calls in hospitals with or without a medical emergency team (MET). METHODS: Interventions were recorded, categorized and classified as critical care interventions (e.g. airway intervention, ventilation and use of inotropic drugs); ward level interventions (e.g. fluids, oxygen by mask); assessment, physical examination and investigations. RESULTS: Only 5 of the 2376 calls were free of critical care interventions. For non-cardiac arrest-related calls, MET hospitals had a lower proportion of airway, circulation and drug-related interventions and a higher proportion of ward level interventions. The majority of calls were between 0601 and 1200 h and cardiac arrest survival was greatest in the 1200-2400 h period. Overall median time at the scene was 25 min. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly all emergency team calls required critical care type interventions. Emergency team calls show a unique temporal pattern for both MET and control hospitals. These findings have important organizational and resource-related implications for hospitals evaluating and establishing rapid response systems.
</p>
},
  year = {2010},
  journal = {Resuscitation},
  volume = {81},
  edition = {2009/11/17},
  number = {1},
  pages = {25-30},
  isbn = {1873-1570 (Electronic)0300-9572 (Linking)},
  note = {Flabouris, ArthasChen, JackHillman, KenBellomo, RinaldoFinfer, SimonMERIT Study Investigators from the Simpson Centre and the ANZICs Clinical Trials GroupResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tIrelandResuscitationResuscitation. 2010 Jan;81(1):25-30. Epub 2009 Nov 13.},
  language = {eng},
}