The purpose of a Medical Emergency Response Team is to optimize the reception, stabilization, diagnosis, treatment and disposition of acutely ill medical patients before further treatment and decision on level of treatment. The initial assessment must be professional and prompt, as the resources involved also are needed many other places in the hospital. To meet this need, teamwork between professional groups and specialties is essential. This is challenging in a department with high staff turnover. It requires that everyone knows their own and others' roles and that the resources are used optimally . My aim has been to half the time the team is assembled.
