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Frequently asked questions (for those collecting data and/or recruiting patients)

To make data collection easier, we’ve compiled the following FAQs from our interactions with data collectors in the past.

How do I enter a second deterioration event for the same patient in the spreadsheet?

Just the same way as you would enter it for a new patient. New row and new ID – we are looking at individual deterioration events, not at individual patients. In some cases, the same patient may even have a 3rd or 4th event.

My patient was discharged after emergency surgery, then came back with a suspected complication and had an emergency scan – is this eligible?

Yes. As long as the suspected complication is related to the emergency surgery which took place during the last admission, this event is eligible. The starting time would be the time they presented to the A&E and the end time would be the time of verified report (if no other action needed to be taken) or of decisive management being initiated.

My patient’s emergency procedure was Interventional Radiology-related or an Endoscopic Interventions (e.g. stent insertion, ERCP), not surgery – are they eligible?

When does the deterioration end?

For a NEWS score of 7 or more

When the NEWS score drops to 5 or less AFTER some form of treatment has been initiated.

If the patient gets an emergency scan after a score of 7 was triggered, does this start a second deterioration event?

For a NEWS score of 7 or more

No. If the NEWS score has not fallen to 5 or less yet, the emergency scan is part of the same event. Contrarily, if some form of treatment has brought the score down to 5 or less and a separate event prompts emergency scanning, this is now a second deterioration episode.

If a patient’s emergency scan shows that the queried complication is not found, what is the end time of the deterioration event?

For an unplanned scan

The episode ends at the time that the verified scan report is published.

How do I define a scan as ‘emergency’ or ‘unplanned’?

For an unplanned scan

All scans REQUESTED outside of the normal working hours of 9am to 5pm Monday-Friday are counted as unplanned. All scans where the RICHER tool (a communication tool developed by RESPOND) had to be used in the request also count as unplanned. 

CCOT gave an opinion on a patient which said current management was sufficient and should be continued. Is this still a deterioration episode?

For ITU/CCOT

Yes. It starts from whatever action prompts involving the CCOT and ends at the time of the CCOT member’s note.

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