Sepsis Clinical Program 2.0 seeks to reduce Peaks sepsis mortality rate
Sepsis continues to be the leading cause of in-hospital mortality, re-admission, and the largest contributor to healthcare costs in the United States. On May 16, Sepsis Clinical Program 2.0 will launch as part of an effort to improve the Peaks Region’s sepsis mortality rate, which is higher than the already-elevated national average.
Sepsis observed to expected average mortality rates:
National: 1.17 (17% higher than expected)
Top performers: 1.03
Peaks Region: 1.21
Melissa Knight, MD, Peaks Region Sepsis Medical Director, says early and aggressive intervention is key, and providers can play a significant role in improving patient outcomes and saving lives by improving sepsis care. The Peaks Region goal is to achieve a less than 1.03 mortality rate and to be among the nation’s top performers.
New protocol empowers nurses as first line of defense, improves provider workflow
The updated program was developed from site visits to gather feedback and review of sepsis care literature, which shows a systematic approach to sepsis care can reduce mortality rates. Nurses are currently receiving extensive education to prepare for the new Sepsis 2.0 inpatient nursing protocol:
Nurses will initiate sepsis screening after a Best Practice Advisory (BPA) fires, or in ED triage
Nurses will place screening lactates and will activate a sepsis alert and notify the provider if the lactate is greater than 2
Providers should experience fewer BPAs, reduced task interruption, and alert fatigue as part of this change. When a BPA is received, providers will know the patient has already been screened and is exhibiting early warning signs for sepsis.
The Sepsis Clinical Program 2.0 provider workflow will be more focused and user-friendly:
Provider BPAs will contain direct links to evidence-based order sets (or de-escalation) and documentation
Increased threshold for the BPA to fire to a nurse first for screening
Automated sepsis timer
Sepsis watch list for close monitoring of high-risk patients
Alert pausing for specific clinical conditions
Quick reference guide and video demo for inpatient providers
Check out this quick reference guide with screenshots of the Epic BPAs or watch the video demo below for a step-by-step walkthrough of the process.
Stick to the protocol to reduce mortality
The Peaks Sepsis Collaborative is requesting providers follow the protocol unless absolutely contraindicated. This protocol only works – and will only reduce mortality -- when we empower our nurses to use it to screen patients and activate alerts. Please support your nurses in this process.
Contacts for questions
Work with your site’s sepsis coordinator for site-specific questions. You can also email Jen Voss, Kelley Degarate or Melissa Knight with feedback or questions.