Stop Sepsis at Home

The Home Care Association of New York State (HCA) is a committed partner with state and national advocacy organizations (Sepsis Alliance and End Sepsis) who are leading the way to combat sepsis — a national public health crisis that is the number one cause of death in hospitals and readmissions. HCA equips home care providers and clinicians to do their part to Stop Sepsis at Home.

What is Sepsis?

Sepsis is an inflammatory response to an infection that can be lethal.

Sepsis is a medical emergency. It can cause tissue damage, organ failure, and death. Older adults or people with weakened immune systems are most susceptible, but anyone can develop sepsis from an infection. 

Treatment for sepsis usually includes antibiotics and large amounts of intravenous fluids

Mortality from sepsis increases 4-9% every hour that treatment is delayed.

Home care plays a vital role. It is estimated that 87% of sepsis cases originate at home and community. As many as 87% cases can be prevented with rapid diagnosis and treatment

The population served by home care mirrors those at highest risk of developing sepsis.

HCA Sepsis Screening & Intervention Tool 101: Everything You Need to Know

The HCA Sepsis Tool is an assessment instrument created by an HCA clinical workgroup over a period of several years through research and medical guidance from top sepsis clinicians in NY and nationally. The Tool is created for use specifically by home care clinicians, but may also be used in other ambulatory and long term care settings. It is comprised of a screening tool instrument, an algorithm, standard protocol, and patient education zone tool.

Who Is Eligible 

• Any organization utilizing nurses or other qualified clinicians to perform the sepsis assessment using the HCA sepsis tool, and that provides services in home and community, or in an ambulatory or certain other residential/facility settings, may seek to incorporate the sepsis tool in its clinical practice. State associations and other multi-level organizations are also eligible to work with HCA to make the tool available to their affiliates. 

 What You Need to Do 

To use the sepsis tool, organizations must complete HCA-approved training and a sepsis tool user agreement (available upon request) attesting to the following requirements: 

• Complete the training.
• Use the tool, algorithm, zone tool and protocol (a/k/a “related instruments) in the form and following the criteria provided.
• If the tool is being incorporated into the agency’s EHR, assure that the EHR company attests that its incorporation or any other use of the tool is solely for your agency.
• The tool and related instruments (except the zone tool) will not be shared with an entity that is does not have a user agreement with HCA).
• The agency is willing to share its experience with HCA and other users.  

What We Do For You 

HCA can assist you with the initial training. Training resources are available upon arrangement with HCA. 

What Happens At Launch

• Providers should adopt the tool and related instruments as part of its clinical policies and protocols. 
• Consider holding initial periodic “office hours” or other sessions for Q&A, and information sharing. Notify partners (hospitals, MDs, EMS, health plans, area agencies on aging, mental health, etc.,) that you are using this the HCA sepsis tool. Consider media education and outreach. 
• Please share your data through the portal hosted by IPRO that has been specifically created for this HCA Sepsis Tool initiative. It helps support our mutual work in combatting sepsis. 

How to Get Started 

• Contact HCA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to indicate interest and schedule a background discussion. 

HCA strongly encourages the viewing of the following educational videos as part of the foundational training:

• Sepsis 911
• Sepsis Emergency
• Patient Advocates Applaud SEP-1’s Adoption into the CMS VBP Program
• Rory Staunton Story
• Sepsis A Hidden Crisis
• iPRO

Foundational information on sepsis from:

• Sepsis Alliance
• END SEPSIS-Rory Staunton Legacy
• CDC websites 

Additional Valuable Background:

• CDC Vital Signs
• Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements
• HCA Screening and Intervention Initiative Summary
• Sepsis and Readmissions
• Improving Outcomes for Sepsis Patients

Recent Studies

• Diagnostic Delay In Sepsis: Moving Upstream | Health Affairs
• Report Highlights Public Health Impact of Serious Harms From Diagnostic Error in U.S. (hopkinsmedicine.org)

Legislation 

Senator Gustavo Rivera and New York Health Community Commend Governor Hochul For Proclaiming September as Sepsis Awareness Month in New York

US Senator Charles Schumer Honors HCA Pace-Setting Sepsis Intervention, Sepsis Alliance Hero

Awards 

HCA Medical Students Featured in “Health Beat” News for Sepsis Innovation

HCA 2021 Shining Light Award to HCA Consumer Advisor for Contributions to HCA Sepsis Intervention

IPRO’s Role in Sepsis Initiative Recognized

HCA Sepsis Initiative Honored with Sepsis Heroes Award of National Sepsis Alliance

Amy Bowerman (Mohawk Valley Health System and HCA Sepsis Clinical Workgroup Leader) = Honored with 2017 Statewide Quality Award for Sepsis

HCA Sepsis Effort, Quality Improvement Work Commended with Major Award

Northwell physician receives Home Care Association award for work in reducing sepsis mortality

Collaboration 

Health Leaders Across Sectors Join with HCA to Plan Improved Sepsis Response Throughout the Continuum 

HCA Awarded NYSHealth Grant for Sepsis Screening in Community Settings

Home Care Association of NY asks other states to join its battle against sepsis

National and State Sepsis Leaders, All Sectors, Converge on Sepsis 

VNS Westchester Hosts HCA’s “Stop Sepsis at Home NY” Hudson Valley Regional Training Session

As CDC Raises Alarms on Deadly Sepsis Crisis, Home Care Takes Action with New Screening Tool, Partnerships

Sepsis Awareness Month 

In 2011, Sepsis Alliance designated September as Sepsis Awareness Month. Every September, the home and health care community comes together to raise awareness of the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals – sepsis. It is the body’s life-threatening response to infection that affects 1.7 million people and takes 350,000 adult lives in the U.S. every year. 

September is Sepsis Awareness Month
Awareness of sepsis is imperative for prevention, early detection, treatment, and avoiding unnecessary deaths.   

Sepsis Awareness Month Proclamation
Governor Hochul proclaimed September 2024 as Sepsis Awareness Month on September 1, 2024. 

Sepsis Awareness Month- Legislative Resolution & Educational Events 
The New York state Senate, at the request of HCA, has passed a legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 2024 as Sepsis Awareness Month in New York State.  

Watch HCA President Cardillo speak about sepsis on this New York State Office for the Aging webinar: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9QNk9Tlns8&t=2s

END SEPSIS partnered with HCA to implement a maternal sepsis education, prevention, and intervention initiative under a grant provided by the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (MCHF) to END SEPSIS. HCA has worked with END SEPSIS and Rory’s parents, Ciaran and Orlaith Staunton, and with Sepsis Alliance, for the past decade to support sepsis prevention and intervention through home health and across the continuum.

Sepsis is currently the SECOND leading cause of maternal mortality, and likewise impacts infants and children, with threatening yet preventable results. 87% of sepsis cases originate in home and community settings.

Home care clinicians are expert educators, screeners, evaluators, interveners, and system navigators—critical in sepsis effectiveness. All provider types, health plans, nurse family partnership providers, and community partners can access these educational materials.

Sign up to view the training and accompanying maternal sepsis resource materials for patients and providers, mutually provided to you by HCA and End Sepsis through Mother Cabrini Health Foundation grants, here. View the educational training here.

Check out End Sepsis’ list of resources here.