Can binary early warning scores perform as well as standard early warning scores for discriminating a patient's risk of cardiac arrest, death or unanticipated intensive care unit admission?
The performance of Binary NEWS is only exceeded by that of standard NEWS. It may be that Binary NEWS, as a simplified system, can be used with fewer errors. However, its introduction could lead to significant increases in workload for ward and rapid response team staff. The balance between fewer errors and a potentially greater workload needs further investigation.
Potentially sight-threatening complications present on the first postoperative day, albeit infrequently. With our current practice and case mix, the need for this review persists. It is possible to reduce the demand on physician time by using appropriately trained nonmedical practitioners.