Brief ReportDevelopment of a rapid response plan for intraoperative emergencies: the Circulate, Scrub, and Technical Assistance Team

•There is currently no formal plan in a typical operating room for intraoperative emergencies, other than fire or cardiac arrest.•We developed and implemented a rapid technical response team for responding to unplanned intraoperative events such as bleeding and conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery.•The team is called the Circulate, Scrub and Technical Assistance Team, is multidisciplinary, and has narrowly defined roles.•Team activation brings necessary help to the room with the emergency then leaves when things are less chaotic, usually less than thirty minutes.

BackgroundUnplanned intraoperative events are inevitable and cause stress and inefficiency among staff. We believe that developing a technical rapid response team with explicitly defined, narrow roles would reduce the amount of chaos during such emergencies. This article provides a detailed description of the development and implementation of such a program.MethodsIn-situ simulation of an intraoperative emergency was used for a formal assessment of the current practice. Debriefing sessions identified areas of improvement and solicited solutions. A multidisciplinary working group then developed and implemented the technical rapid response team based on the needs assessment. The program was designed to create a Circulating, Scrubbing, and Technical Assistance Team that helps with equipment, supplies, anesthesia, and communication.ResultsWe anticipate the program will foster a culture of safety, and promote positive relationships and attitudes of the entire multidisciplinary team.ConclusionsIn the future, research regarding patient outcomes and staff satisfaction and safety attitudes may help provide objective evidence of the benefits of the program.