Early detection of the deteriorating patient: the case for a multi-parameter patient-worn monitor.

Scott McCombie, BSBSE, is research engineer at Sotera Wireless, San Diego, CA. E-mail: scott.mccombie@ soterawireless.com Effective, efficient, and safe delivery of healthcare is dependent on the timely identification and treatment of a deteriorating patient condition. Failure to rescue patients in the early stage of physiological deterioration can result in permanent organ injury, extended medical treatment, increased recovery time, or death. These avoidable adverse events drive healthcare costs up and quality down. The primary indicator of failure to rescue is unsuccessful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The American Heart Association created a national registry of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (NPCPR) in 2000 as a voluntary evidence-based patient safety initiative. A review by Peberdy and colleagues of 14,720 cases of cardiopulmonary arrest from the NPCPR database collected between 2000 and 2002 shows the following breakdown of physiology, immediate cause, and discovery.