CDC Director Mandy Cohen, MD, detailed the agency's launch of a new hospital program focused on enhancing sepsis care and improving patient outcomes, during an Aug. 24 CDC press call.
The program seeks to improve patient survival rates, currently 1 in every 3 patients who die in the hospital have sepsis during that hospitalization.
"We know that programs dedicated to the care of patients with sepsis have been successful in saving more lives, reducing the amount of time patients need to stay in the hospital and cutting healthcare costs," Dr. Cohen said during the call. "The bottom line is that CDC believes sepsis programs at every hospital regardless of size, location and resources can strengthen the quality of care delivered to these patients and ensure their survival."
The CDC's Hospital Sepsis Program features seven elements to aid hospitals in bolstering their sepsis care including:
- A commitment from leadership to designate the necessary human, financial, and technology resources toward the effort.
- Create a process for accountability by tapping someone who will be responsible for outcomes and goals.
- Use multidisciplinary insights and collaboration as a key advantage.
- Develop and implement action plans that account for the structure, process and management of sepsis treatment and recovery.
- Measure goals and track related data to better understand outcomes and goals.
- Report usable information to key stakeholders.
- Properly educate and train new hires and all employees on sepsis identification, treatment and recovery protocols.
Despite the condition's commonality, a 2022 CDC survey of hospitals found that only 55 percent "integrate Antibiotic Stewardship Programs, for example, to monitor and review antibiotic and antifungal use in sepsis care," Dr. Cohen said.
In addition, Clinicians can also sometimes mistake septic symptoms for a separate condition, which can then allow it to spread and worsen.