Critical Care Outreach Team (CCOT) program in a rural hospital setting

Background: Erie Shores Healthcare (ESHC), a 72-bed rural hospital in Leamington, Ontario, faced challenges in recognizing and addressing clinical deterioration, leading to delays in critical care. Method: To improve response times, ESHC implemented a nurse-led nighttime Critical Care Outreach Team (CCOT) program. This initiative aimed to enhance early recognition of clinical decline and streamline ICU transfers. We analyzed retrospective and post-implementation data on ICU transfers, focusing on response time metrics. Results: The CCOT program led to a 64.5% reduction in time to place ICU transfer orders, a 72.4% decrease in time to move patients to an ICU bed, and a 56% reduction in time to receive critical care interventions. Additionally, a post-implementation survey showed that over 80% of nursing staff valued the program’s impact on their work. Implications: Our experience highlights the benefits of a nurse-led CCOT model in improving critical care response in rural hospitals. We hope to inspire other healthcare facilities to adopt similar strategies to enhance patient care.