Journal for healthcare quality : official publication of the National Association for Healthcare Quality
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Even though rapid response teams (RRTs) have been widely adopted, reports about their efficacy in reducing mortality have been conflicting, both in terms of outcomes, and standardization of measures. Our data demonstrate that it is possible to detect significant changes within the patient population while overall mortality rates appear not to change. ⋯ With less severe patients able to remain on the medical wards, 12.5% of ICU beds were able to be utilized by more severe patients, and the Hospital-Standardized Mortality Ratio decreased 31.2%. The All Patient Refined Diagnostic-Related Groups (APR DRGs) risk of mortality (ROM) was used to stratify and group patients by severity, and revealed reductions in mortality among specific risk groups as well as shifts in the proportion of patient risk groups within the ICU population which were not readily apparent.