Ready for Anything

Photography by James Moore

Rapid Response Program Saves Lives

Patients of Ozarks Healthcare have long enjoyed world-class medical treatment and a caring, bedside manner. But one protocol that’s been in place for more than 10 years has also trained staff to keep a watchful eye over everyone in the building, ready to provide assistance at a moment’s notice.

The hospital’s Rapid Response Team is something most members of the general public know nothing about, that is until a medical emergency presents itself. Over the years, the system has saved multiple lives, said Tonya Aaron, director of nursing services.

“A Rapid Response can be called by any co-worker,” she said. “Basically what we’re wanting to do is catch the deterioration of a patient. Rapid Response can be called any time any of our co-workers feel concerned and want extra sets of eyes on a situation.

“And it’s not just patients. We’ve had visitors that we’ve called Rapid Responses on as well. One was a lady who was in visiting her husband when she needed medical attention.”

Rapid Response emergencies are not just limited to patient wards or the emergency room, either. Aaron said medical situations can happen anywhere on the premises, so staff across the board are trained to be observant and know what to do if a person needs help.

“For instance, we had a gentleman fall the other day, and somebody from our registration department called the Rapid Response,” she said. “It’s not just nursing or physicians, it’s co-workers throughout the house who call it.”

In the event of a situation, the employee calls a designated number that triggers an immediate action, similar to a Code Blue. Operators sound a Rapid Response alert with specific phrasing to enable the Rapid Response Team to head to the proper location.

“The team that arrives at those Rapid Responses can consist of our house supervisor, RNs from the ICU and emergency department, as well as from the respiratory therapist team,” Aaron said. “When they come in to work in the morning, one of them from each area is designated as a code or Rapid Response member for that day. In the event of a call, the other team members absorb what they’re doing in the unit.

“We also work in conjunction with our ER. If the patient does need to go into the ER, our Rapid Response Team will take them in and get a report off to our physician and the nursing staff there. We work very closely with them.”

The Rapid Response protocol, which is in place 24 hours a day, is covered during new hire orientation to help ensure awareness throughout the organization. Aaron said staff members appreciate knowing what to do in a given situation and have become more engaged with patients overall as a result. This, in turn, has boosted the level of customer service from the waiting room to the parking lot to the cafeteria.

“I think it makes employees very aware of their surroundings,” Aaron said. “You know, the reason why we wanted to put this in place was to promote a better outcome for our patients. Rapid Response gives all employees ownership in that process.”