Will sepsis tool lead to fewer cases?
The NHS has launched a tool that aims to keep track of the number of emergency admission patients who are at risk of developing sepsis.
The suspicion of sepsis (SOS) insight dashboard will record the numbers of people with severe bacterial infections and those who have suspicion of sepsis, rather than just those who already have the condition.
As clinicians do not wait for full blown sepsis to develop but treat patients with serious infections before they worsen, it is hoped that by collecting data on suspicion of sepsis the tool will provide a more accurate record of the extent of the problem.
The dashboard collects data on about 200 common bacterial infections and sepsis diagnostic codes and excludes conditions mimicking infection.
Executive medical director and chief operating officer at NHS Improvement Kathy McLean said: ‘Not having an agreed definition of sepsis has made interventions difficult, as the NHS has not been able to accurately report how many people are falling victim to this deadly condition or which treatments are most effective.’
She said it is vital that all hospitals use the SOS dashboard to record the scale of the condition so that improvements can be made.
Further information
British Medical Journal: NHS launches tool for hospitals to assess sepsis risk