Modeling and Analysis of Rapid Response Process to Improve Patient Safety in Acute Care

Rapid response to clinical deterioration plays an important role to improve patient safety. In this paper, we present an initial study on modeling and analysis of the rapid response process in acute care. Specifically, such a process is modeled as a complex network with split, merge, and parallel structures. An analytical method is developed to evaluate the decision time (from detection of patient deteriorating to a doctor´s decision for treatment) and its variability. Structural properties are discussed and continuous improvement methods for identification and mitigation of bottlenecks in the rapid response operations are provided. A case study at the acute care at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital is introduced to validate the model, and continuous improvement recommendations are investigated. Finally, potential future work to extend the study is discussed.