Recognition of the Deteriorating Patient: The Ongoing Evolution of Early Warning Score Systems and their Impact on Patients with Respiratory Disease

The introduction of electronic patient data capture platforms has led to an increase in the use of systems designed to predict and react to clinical deterioration. These systems capture clinical observations to calculate either single parameter, or aggregate weighted, track and trigger scores (also referred to as early warning scores). In this article, we examine the impact of early warning scores on management of patients with respiratory disease. We also review the evidence in the literature and summarise current and potential future strategies for recognition of clinical risk in the acute hospital setting.