Rapid Response Teams and Team Composition: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Cardiac arrest results in numerous deaths and serious morbidities in hospital settings every year. Within pediatric hospitals, children, who are not in the intensive care unit and experience heart failure, are not able to be resuscitated 50% to 67% of the time (Nowak & Brilli, 2007). A study of cardiopulmonary arrest in a hospital in Australia revealed approximately 73% of children survived the initial cardiac arrest resuscitation but only 34% survived for 1 year after the arrest (Tibballs & Kinney, 2006). Genardi, Cronin, and Thomas (2008) indicate that less than 20% of adults experiencing cardiac arrest while in the hospital survive; and an overwhelming majority of arrests occur after hours of slow deterioration. Several other researchers have pointed to various antecedents to cardiac arrest, which if monitored, could allow intervention to reduce or eliminate these "preventable" cardiac arrests (Bedell, Deitz, Leeman, & Delbanco, 1991; Kause et al., 2004). Reports indicate the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation is lacking, thus impairing patient safety outcomes (Abella et al., 2005). In addition, costs per quality of life year gained are expensive. A cost-effectiveness study conducted by Ebell and Kruse (1994) found that cost per qualityadjusted life year (QALY) for cardiopulmonary resuscitation was $61,000 in 1991 U.S. dollars, which equals almost $100,000 per QALY in 2011 U.S. dollars (Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d.).

Rapid Response Teams and Team Composition: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Academic Article