Exploring factors affecting critical care response team service at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Background: Critical care response team (CCRT) is a proactive department of intensive care unit (ICU) that consists of an intensivist, a staff physician, a critical care nurse, and a respiratory therapist. The purpose of this team is to manage patients in their wards to avoid unnecessary ICU bed occupancies. The aim of the study is to explore factors affecting CCRT service in terms of patient disposition and mortality rate and to analyze interventions provided to the patients by the team. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh. All CCRT event data collection forms from the period between February 2018 and April 2019 were reviewed. Patients meeting our criteria were included. Outcome measures were as follows: (1) patient disposition. (2) mortality rate. Factors that were tested for effect on CCRT service were patient age, activation time, and reasons for activation. All statistical analyses were done using SAS software 9.4. Results: A total of 1088 CCRT events were considered during the period of the study. Out of all deaths, the mean age was 70.90 ± 16.67 compared to the mean age of survivors 61.21 ± 20.65 (P