Sepsis (whole-of-hospital)

Sepsis is the body’s overwhelming response to severe infection. It is a medical emergency that can result in multiorgan failure and death. The in-hospital mortality rate for sepsis is estimated to be approximately 25 per cent globally. 

Recognising and responding to sepsis early can significantly improve patient outcomes.

Implementing an adult sepsis pathway toolkit

This toolkit will help health services implement an adult sepsis pathway, and improve the recognition and management of sepsis. 

It contains guidance and resources to help health services implement a sepsis pathway, including:

• sepsis recognition criteria and definitions, and an example of a sepsis pathway
• a guide to implementing a sepsis pathway
• an example driver diagram and change ideas
• quality improvement tools and templates.

Background

The toolkit is based on findings of SCV’s sepsis bundle of care program and the ‘Think sepsis. Act fast.’ scaling collaboration. It builds on the previous work by the New South Wales Clinical Excellence Commission, UK Sepsis Trust, Surviving Sepsis Campaign, Melbourne Health and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.