Does the use of National Early Warning Scores (NEWS or NEWS2) in healthcare settings improve patient outcomes: a systematic review

Abstract

Background: The National Early Warning Score (NEWS), and updated NEWS2, is used to detect all-cause deterioration, based on clinical observations. Many studies have validated the prognostic accuracy of NEWS/NEWS2, but few have investigated whether its use improves patient outcomes. This systematic review aims to bring together all evidence evaluating the effectiveness of using NEWS/NEWS2, compared to not using NEWS/NEWS2, on patient outcomes. Methods: We searched Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, and international trial registries from January 2012 (when NEWS was developed) to October 2024, for all records which mentioned NEWS/NEWS2 in their title or abstract. All comparative st..