Sepsis remains a leading cause of death around the world, but early detection could save patients and costs. Virginia Mason Institute’s “Sepsis Power Hour” bundle, a way of detecting early signs of sepsis and improved the time taken to treat patients, has reduced patient mortality due to sepsis by 45 percent.

The Sepsis Power Hour bundle aims to improve patient and provider outcomes when treating sepsis with early identification and quicker intervention. The solution has been in place since 2011 and has decreased patient mortality by 45 percent, saving Virginia Mason $6,000 in 90-day treatment expenses per patient.

"What has really changed with patients and families is in the numbers,” said Evan Coates, MD, a hospitalist at Virginia Mason. “Our mortality rate has been decreasing year after year for four years straight, and it had plateaued for five years prior to that—a substantial improvement. It's in the numbers—care is better for patients."

Further training of nurses, who are the center point of the solution, was able to decrease the average time it took to deliver the bundle by 54 percent. As a result of the bundle, Virginia Mason has reduced patient discharged to long-term facilities by 15 percent and rapid response team calls decreased by 33 percent.