Northwell Reduces Sepsis Mortality

Recently defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a medical emergency, sepsis is the body’s overwhelming response to infection, typically occurring when germs from an infection get into the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. Even with the condition affecting a large percentage of the population, it often goes undiagnosed as it mimics symptoms of other diseases. Early detection is key to preventing loss of life.

To help shorten the diagnosis time, the Northwell Health Sepsis Task Force, headed by Dr. Doerfler, along with the Feinstein Institutes, reviewed previous cases to identify the key signs for sepsis. Through this work, they identified a protocol, which includes early administration of fluids and antibiotics, to implement across Northwell Health’s 21 hospitals. As a result, sepsis-related mortalities within Northwell Health’s hospitals have been reduced by almost 70 percent, which equates to thousands of lives saved.