Hillman K, Parr M, Flabouris A, Bishop G, Stewart A. Redefining in-hospital resuscitation: The concept of the medical emergency team. Resuscitation. 2001;48(2):105-110.

This article describes the characteristics of a Medical Emergency Team (MET), also referred to as a Rapid Response Team or Medical Response Team (MRT). Also identified are the issues to be addressed in implementing a MET program, including the development of criteria for calling the MET.

Hillman KM, Bristow PJ, Chey T, et al. Duration of life-threatening antecedents prior to intensive care admission. Intensive Care Medicine. 2002;28(11):1629-1634.

In over 60 percent of patients admitted to intensive care, potential life-threatening abnormalities were documented during the 8 hours before admission; this may represent a population who could benefit from improved care at an earlier stage. 

Hillman KM, Bristow PJ, Chey T et al. Antecedents to hospital deaths. Internal Medicine Journal. 2001;31(6):343-348.

This study showed a high incidence of serious vital sign abnormalities in the period before potentially preventable hospital deaths; such abnormalities may identify patients who would benefit from earlier intervention. 

Hillman K. Critical care without walls. Current Opinion in Critical Care. 2002;8(6):594-599.

Critical care specialists are expanding their roles beyond ICUs and becoming involved in strategies such as the medical emergency team. 

Goldhill DR, Worthington L, Mulcahy A, Tarling M, Sumner A. The patient-at-risk team: Identifying and managing seriously ill ward patients. Anaesthesia. 1999;54(9):853-860.

Identification of critically ill patients, early advice, and active management are likely to prevent the need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and improve outcome. 

Frost P. In response to “Effect of introducing the Modified Early Warning score on clinical outcomes, cardiopulmonary arrests and intensive care utilization in acute medical admissions,” Subbe et al. Anaesthesia 2003;58(8):797-802. Anaesthesia. 2003;58(11):1154.

Response to an article which described a study which tested the response to introducing an Early Warning Score for patients.

Franklin C, Mathew J. Developing strategies to prevent inhospital cardiac arrest: Analyzing responses of physicians and nurses in the hours before the event. Critical Care Medicine. 1994;22(2):244-247.

Cardiac arrests on the general wards are commonly preceded by premonitory signs and symptoms. Training strategies for nurses and physicians should include the need to devote special attention to patients discharged from ICU who are at greater risk of cardiac arrest. 

Foraida MI, DeVita MA, Braithwaite RS, Stuart SA, Brooks MM, Simmons RL. Improving the utilization of medical crisis teams (Condition C) at an urban tertiary care hospital. Journal of Critical Care. 2003;18(2):87-94.

Over a three-year period, interventions that involved objective definition and dissemination of criteria for initiating the Condition C response were significantly associated with increased utilization.  Interventions that involved giving feedback to medical personnel based on review of their care were not.

DeVita MA, Braithwaite RS, Mahidhara R, Stuart S, Foraida M, Simmons RL. Use of medical emergency team responses to reduce hospital cardiopulmonary arrests. Quality and Safety in Health Care. 2004;13(4):251-254.

Increased use of medical emergency team may be associated with fewer cardiopulmonary arrests; a retrospective analysis over 6.8 years showed a 17 percent decrease in the incidence of cardiopulmonary arrests from 6.5 to 5.4 per 1000 admissions. 

Crispin C, Daffurn K. Nurses’ responses to acute severe illness. Australian Critical Care. 1998;11(4):131-133.

Identified a need to educate health professionals regarding the warning signs of acute severe illness and when to summon assistance.