Sepsis Awareness Month Outreach 

Situation Report | September 13, 2021    

Last week, HCA Director of Program Research, Development and Policy, Lauren Ford provided the membership with excellent resources for Sepsis Awareness Month planning and outreach.

Over 90% of sepsis-related infections occur in home and community – not in the hospital as is commonly and mistakenly assumed. As the home care population mirrors the high risks for sepsis, much like COVID-19, and as it is the number one cause of hospital readmissions, the number one all-payor expense for those admitted to hospitals, the cause of a U.S. death every two minutes and the cause of a hospitalization every 20 seconds, HCA urges all members to leverage Sepsis Month to initiate expanded outreach, education, media and social media contact, and to engage your hospital, physician and emergency management system partners in discussions about sepsis.  

HCA asks all member providers and managed long term care plans who have yet to adopt the HCA sepsis screening and intervention tool and protocol for use with patients, to take the challenge of Sepsis Awareness month to do so. Members can start the process simply by writing to sepsistool@hcanys.organd the HCA team will guide you. The HCA sepsis tool is nationally pace-setting and recognized. 

Studies by HCA members who have adopted the tool show major impact in avoided hospitalizations and rehospitalizations. HCA is currently leading a major statewide grant that will support expanded sepsis intervention in home care throughout the state, including in pediatrics. The initiative also includes the development of mechanisms aimed at better coordinating sepsis response across the continuum. 

This week, you can also participate in a stellar national sepsis summit hosted by Sepsis Alliance, which is a core supporter of and medical advisor to HCA’s sepsis efforts. Learn more and register for the summit here. The summit will feature a transformative Hospital-Home Care-Physician Collaboration model in Critical Illness Recovery that will focus on application with sepsis. The model and presentation will be led by the University of Rochester Medical Center and UR Medicine Home Care, of the HCA membership and Board. 

Members should also connect with the ENDSepsis-Rory Staunton Legacy organization. The organization’s founders led the way to New York’s hospital sepsis protocols and the state’s sepsis education program in schools. Members can avail their staff of exceptional resources, including background on Rory’s legacy on the ENDSepsis website.  

Be a part of the game-changing effort and home care’s significant role in attacking this profound and life-threatening condition.