Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced the Securing Enhanced Programs, Systems, and Initiatives for Sepsis (SEPSIS) Act, bipartisan legislation that would reduce sepsis deaths by tasking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with working to improve sepsis care in hospitals. The SEPSIS Act aims to prevent sepsis fatalities by educating providers and hospitals on best practices for early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of sepsis. This legislation would lessen the devastating and costly impact that sepsis can have on patients, hospitals, the health care system, and friends and families of potential sepsis victims.
“This bipartisan bill would help provide hospitals and health care professionals with the training and data they need to detect and treat sepsis earlier, so that fewer families lose loved ones to this devastating condition,” said Senator Collins.
The SEPSIS Act would task the CDC with dedicated sepsis work in conjunction with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, building on ongoing efforts to reduce the burden of sepsis through the Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements. The CDC’s work will include an education campaign about addressing sepsis in hospitals; improving data collection on pediatric sepsis; sharing information across the Department of Health and Human Services on sepsis quality measures; and development and implementation of a sepsis outcome measure. The SEPSIS Act would also require a report to Congress to evaluate the sepsis outcome measure. Finally, the SEPSIS Act includes a voluntary recognition program for hospitals who maintain effective sepsis programs or improve their sepsis programs over time.
“Sepsis Alliance is grateful to Senators Schumer, Collins and Kim for their reintroduction of the SEPSIS Act, an important measure for saving lives from sepsis. Over 350,000 U.S. adults are being taken by sepsis each year. The SEPSIS Act is a strong first step in the fight to save lives and limbs from this devastating condition, and we support the swift passage of this measure,” said Thomas Heymann, CEO of Sepsis Alliance.
“America’s hospitals and health systems are committed to improving patient safety and reducing sepsis. We thank Senators Schumer, Collins and Kim for their leadership on this important issue and support the SEPSIS Act’s efforts to combat this life-threatening condition through increased education and development of a sepsis outcome measure that could help better assess progress, reduce unnecessary administrative burden and improve sepsis care,” said Lisa Kidder Hrobsky, senior vice president of federal relations, advocacy and political affairs, American Hospital Association.
“Sepsis is a leading cause of preventable death and a critical patient safety challenge that hospitals confront every day. The SEPSIS Act represents meaningful federal leadership that will equip providers with strategies to detect and treat sepsis earlier,” said Charlene MacDonald, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs at the Federation of American Hospitals. “We applaud Senators Schumer, Collins, and Kim for prioritizing patient safety through this bipartisan legislation and recognizing the importance of partnership across hospitals, public health agencies, and families impacted by sepsis.”
The complete text of the bill can be read here.
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