Improving responses to patients deteriorating after emergency surgery
RESPOND Study (Rescue for Emergency Surgery Patients Observed to uNdergo Acute Deterioration)
This study is trying to improve how hospitals respond when patients get worse after emergency surgery to keep them safer and reduce the risk of death.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 9064 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 100 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Oxford Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Oxford, Oxfordshire and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT04919720 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This program aims to enhance patient safety by evaluating and improving the response systems for patients who deteriorate following emergency surgery. It consists of four work packages: analyzing current rescue systems through qualitative interviews, co-designing interventions with staff and patients, conducting a mixed-methods feasibility trial across three sites, and performing a step-wedge randomized control trial across 24 hospital sites in England. The focus is on understanding the discrepancies between actual practices and official guidelines in emergency general surgery. By applying Human Factors science, the study seeks to develop effective strategies to reduce mortality rates in these high-risk situations.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates include senior and junior medical staff involved in emergency general surgery, as well as recovered patients and their carers.
Not a fit: Patients lacking mental capacity or those who cannot communicate in English without translation support may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could significantly reduce the number of deaths following emergency surgeries by improving clinical response systems.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in improving patient outcomes through similar human factors and safety interventions, indicating a potential for success in this approach.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Senior Medical staff in EGS and in other departments and disciplines with important roles in rescue (Anaesthetics, Gastroenterology, Interventional Radiology, Intensive Treatment Unit) * Junior medical staff in EGS (First Year 1 and 2, Core trainee and Surgical Trainee 3 + grades) * Senior nursing staff in EGS and other relevant departments (Theatres, Intensive Treatment Unit/outreach) * Recovered patients or their carers Exclusion Criteria: * Patients lacking mental capacity * Patients who cannot communicate in English AND for whom translation facilities cannot be secured * Patients with documented PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) related to their experience of complications after laparotomy
Where this trial is running
Oxford, Oxfordshire and 1 other locations
- Professor Peter McCulloch — Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom (Recruiting)
- Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust — Stoke Mandeville, United Kingdom (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Peter McCulloch, MBChB, MD — University of Oxford
- Study coordinator: Peter McCulloch, MBChB, MD
- Email: mcculloch.pa@nds.ox.ac.uk
- Phone: 07786267510
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.