The Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) is a simple, physiological score that may allow improvement in the quality and safety of management provided to surgical ward patients. The primary purpose is to prevent delay in the intervention or transfer of critically ill patients (Gardner-Thorpe, Love, Wrightson, Walsh, & Keeling, 2006, p.571).
In recent months, Parkview Medical Center has re-developed the way we obtain our MEWS acute care patients. By implementing and modifying a MEWS specific to our needs at Parkview Medical Center we have been able to achieve a facility-wide approach in capturing a score on every set of vital signs that are entered into the Electronic Health Record (EHR) on patients.
To achieve this score, an EHR documentation rule was developed by the Informatics Department that looks to the value variables of the vital signs to generate a MEWS. As we approach our third month live with implementation, we have seen a decrease in acute care and critical care ‘Code Blues’, and an increase in ‘Rapid Response’ calls. Our goal is to continue to educate our clinical staff on the importance of Early Warning Signs, in efforts to prevent a delay in patient care.
Safety and quick response time on physiological changes that arise on acute care patients is something that Parkview Medical Center values, and by implementing these changes we are staying true to our mission to provide the highest quality of healthcare to the people we serve.
During this webinar, we will explain our process and the results.
Presenter:
Tyler Stowers, RN, BSN
RN/Clinical Informaticist
Parkview Medical Center