Journal-based CME Course: A Call for Behavioral Emergency Response Teams in Inpatient Hospital Settings

Activity ID

10849

Expires

October 31, 2026

Format Type

Journal-based

CME Credit

Fee

$30

CME Provider: AMA Journal of Ethics

Description of CME Course

Medical rapid response teams, now ubiquitous throughout hospitals, were designed to identify and proactively treat early warning signs of acute medical decompensation. Behavioral emergencies including clinical psychiatric emergencies, coping/stress reactions, and iatrogenic injuriesare not responded to with the same vigor. At worst, behavioral crises are treated as unarmed security threats. Limited or inappropriate responses to such crises can lead to suboptimal outcomes on numerous levels, especially avoidable harm to patients and frontline clinicians. Widespread implementation of behavioral emergency response teams for patient-centered behavioral interventions has been impeded by a pervasive perception that these endeavors are medically unnecessary and optional. This article calls for a paradigm shift in responding to behavioral emergencies by arguing that security-driven risk management practices during behavioral emergencies are incompatible with fundamental medical and ethics principles.

Disclaimers

1. This activity is accredited by the American Medical Association.
2. This activity is free to AMA members.

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More Information

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NOTE: If a Member Board has not deemed this activity for MOC approval as an accredited CME activity, this activity may count toward an ABMS Member Board’s general CME requirement. Please refer directly to your Member Board’s MOC Part II Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment Program Requirements.

General Information on CME Activity

Educational Objectives

1. Explain a new or unfamiliar viewpoint on a topic of ethical or professional conduct
2. Evaluate the usefulness of this information for health care practice, teaching, or conduct
3. Decide whether and when to apply the new information to health care practice, teaching, or conduct

Keywords

Ethics, Environmental Health, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Emergency Medicine, Trauma and Injury

Competencies

Medical Knowledge, Professionalism

CME Credit Type

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit

DOI

10.1001/amajethics.2020.956