QUICK RESPONSE SPEEDS LIFESAVING CARE

When a patient's condition deteriorates, every minute counts. At the first signs of trouble, our Rapid Response Team speeds to the patient's bedside, treating symptoms before the situation becomes a "code blue."

In the past four years, the number of code blues at the hospital decreased 42 percent. During the same time, the RRT was activated more than 3,000 times, a 200 percent increase. This means our staff recognize critical symptoms sooner and activate the team more quickly and frequently. As a result, the survival rate of team-treated patients is more than 80 percent, well above the national average.

Due to the success of our RRT program, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement identified The University of Kansas Hospital as a mentor on the design and use of RRTs for hospitals across the country.