CDC Issues Guidance to Enhance Sepsis Care in Hospitals

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has taken a significant step to address the pressing issue of sepsis-related fatalities, which contribute to approximately one-third of all hospital deaths. Astonishingly, over the past year, more than 25% of hospitals lacked a formal sepsis committee, and nearly half of them failed to allocate dedicated time for sepsis program leaders. In response, the CDC has introduced the Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements, a comprehensive resource center designed to aid hospitals in establishing or refining their strategies for recognizing and managing sepsis cases within their facilities.

Dr. Mandy Cohen, Director of the CDC, emphasized the urgency of prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment for sepsis, including the administration of antibiotics, as a vital means of saving lives. She acknowledged the significant challenges posed by the lack of awareness and recognition surrounding sepsis. To counteract this, she called upon all U.S. hospitals to develop sepsis programs that adhere to the newly introduced seven core elements. These elements provide a structured framework and essential concepts that guide hospitals in enhancing early detection and treatment protocols, ultimately leading to saved lives.

These core elements span a wide range of aspects, including leadership commitment and data reporting, to ensure comprehensive and effective sepsis management. Tailored to suit hospitals of varying sizes and locations, these elements draw inspiration from the CDC’s successful Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship, which have yielded positive outcomes for numerous organizations.

Within each of the seven elements, specific “Priority Examples” are provided to guide existing sepsis programs in their focus. For instance, in the “Education” element, the CDC recommends conducting annual sepsis education for clinical staff, including specialized training during the hiring process, educating patients and their families about sepsis prior to discharge, and delivering written and verbal sepsis-related information.

The CDC’s resource also offers guidance for hospitals initiating sepsis programs or facing resource limitations. Recommendations include identifying program leaders, garnering support from organizational leadership, conducting comprehensive needs analyses, and formulating initial goals based on the findings.

Recognizing the evolving landscape of sepsis guidelines and the need for adaptability, the CDC emphasizes that hospitals must not only implement recommended practices but also adjust their approaches as new evidence emerges.

The release of these guidance materials coincided with the publication of the results from the CDC’s 2022 annual survey of the National Healthcare Safety Network. Among the enrolled acute hospitals, the data revealed that 73% of all hospitals and 53% of those with 25 or fewer beds had established sepsis committees. However, 10% of hospitals lacked standardized processes for rapid sepsis identification, and an additional 10% lacked standardized protocols for managing sepsis care—issues more prevalent in smaller hospitals.

In light of these findings, CDC researchers stressed the need for improvement in early sepsis identification, patient care, and outcomes, particularly within smaller hospitals. They advocated for sepsis programs with dedicated time for leaders, engagement with medical specialists, and integration with antibiotic stewardship programs as a means to address these gaps in sepsis care across the United States.