The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently launched the Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements to support hospitals in quickly identifying sepsis and saving more lives. This resource is designed to help hospitals implement, monitor, and optimize sepsis programs and improve survival rates.
Hospitals are encouraged to use the seven core sepsis elements as an outline for patient care and multidisciplinary sepsis programs. The elements include:
- Hospital Leadership Commitment: Dedicating the necessary human, financial, and information technology resources.
- Accountability: Appointing a leader or co-leaders responsible for program goals and outcomes.
- Multi-professional expertise: Engaging key partners throughout the hospital and healthcare system.
- Action: Implementing structures and processes to improve the identification of, management of, and recovery from sepsis.
- Tracking: Measuring sepsis epidemiology, management, and outcomes to assess the impact of sepsis initiatives and progress toward program goals.
- Reporting: Providing information on sepsis management and outcomes to relevant partners.
- Education: Providing sepsis education to healthcare professionals, patients, and family/caregivers.
The CDC's Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements webpage includes an assessment tool, tips for getting started, various support resources and a link to download a PDF of the guide.
