MET: Physician-Led RRTs

Physician-led rapid response teams (RRTs) are also described as medical emergency teams (METs). The principles and underlying causes of physician-led RRTs are similar to all RRT calls. All medical emergency teams are multidisciplinary, though the composition and the specialty of the team leader of the MET vary depending on the hospital setup. Intensive care unit (ICU) staff are often involved in METs when there is an ICU in the hospital. Physicians bring additional skill sets to medical emergencies in addition to providing a prompt second opinion on the deteriorating patient. The main aim of physician-led RRTs is to triage the patient in the early phases of deterioration and facilitate resuscitative interventions when needed. Implementation of limitations of medical therapy is commonly performed by the MET. RRT implementation is associated with reduced cardiopulmonary arrest rates outside the intensive care unit and reduced in-hospital mortality rates. Evidence is lacking that physician-led RRTs lead to better outcomes compared to nurse-led teams.