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Sepsis Alliance
Sepsis Alliance is the leading sepsis organization in the U.S. working in all 50 states to save lives and reduce suffering from sepsis.
In the U.S.: 1.7 million Americans are diagnosed with sepsis every year, and more than 270,000 of those Americans die – more than from prostate cancer, breast cancer, and opioid overdoses combined.
Sepsis is the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals and is responsible for approximately $62 billion in hospitalization and skilled nursing costs annually.
From a recent study, it was recognized that patients who arrived in the ICU from hospital floors were sicker and had worse outcomes.
Evidence indicates that patients diagnosed with sepsis and septic shock on general hospital floors are at particularly high risk of death. Delays in sepsis recognition and slow initiation of treatment in multiple settings have been associated with worse outcomes.
The higher risk of death for patients on the medical surgical floors has been largely attributed to delayed recognition of their deteriorating condition.
Sepsis Data
According to the World Health Organization, around half (49%) of patients with sepsis in intensive care units acquired the infection in the hospital. An estimated 27% of people with sepsis in hospitals and 42% of people in intensive care units will die. When sepsis is not recognized early and managed promptly, it can lead to septic shock, multiple organ failure and death. Even sepsis survivors are not out of danger: only half will completely recover, the rest will either die within 1 year or be burdened by long-term disabilities.
The Sepsis Cost-Containment Challenge
The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) estimates the average full marginal loss for a U.S. hospital’s treatment of sepsis amounts to as much as $34 million annually, making it one of the highest cost-containment challenges in the nation hospitals.
When sepsis care is evaluated using a condition-based economic model, the financial implications come into clear focus with the annual marginal loss: For large hospitals with more than 500 beds on average, amounts to about $34 million and for small hospitals with less than 200 beds, it averages about $9.9 million.
Direct costs reviewed under the economic model included average length of stay (LOS) and personnel time, as well as other variable costs.
The average LOS for a sepsis patient is 75% longer than for patients hospitalized for other conditions.
This longer LOS is a significant cost driver that correlates with condition severity, both in the ICU and for the overall hospital stay.
Of note, ICU costs are two to three times higher than non-ICU cases, mainly because of the costs associated with personnel and therapeutics. ICU departments require higher ratios of healthcare professionals to patients, including more skilled and costly personnel.
For large hospitals with more than 500 beds on average, amounts to about $34 million and for small hospitals with less than 200 beds, it averages about $9.9 million.
Direct costs reviewed under the economic model included average length of stay (LOS) and personnel time, as well as other variable costs.
Sepsis patients have an average LOS that is 75% longer than for patients hospitalized for other conditions. This longer LOS is a significant cost driver that correlates with condition severity, both in the ICU and for the overall hospital stay. Of note, ICU costs are two to three times higher than non-ICU cases, mainly because of the costs associated with personnel and therapeutics.
ICU departments require higher ratios of healthcare professionals to patients, including more skilled and costly personnel.
Sepsis Hospital Costs State of Florida
According to billing data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from 161 hospitals for “Septicemia Or Severe Sepsis W/o Mv 96+ Hours With Major Complications,” in 2011, the average medical billing charge in Florida was $63,073.39, and the average Medicare reimbursement was $12,209.01.
An article by the National Library of Medicine (NIH) notes septic patients represent a disproportionately high burden in terms of hospital utilization. Despite high mortality rates, their length of stay (LOS) increased from 7.7 to 12.6 days, and the costs of sepsis increased from $16,324 to $38,298 from sepsis without organ dysfunction to septic shock. A clear trend toward increased resource use and costs and poor clinical outcomes was associated with increasing severity.
Reduce costs. Save lives.
Implementing capnography protocols won’t stop sepsis, but it can help hospitals reduce costs, prevent loss of revenue, and save lives by identifying sick patients EARLIER so lab values, diagnostic tools, and assessments can be employed sooner. Reduce costs and mitigate revenue loss to the hospital, State, and Federal monies (Medicare/Medicaid), and most importantly… save lives, by adding the Capnography Capstone course to your onboarding program for RNs, LPNs, Nurse Practitioners, first responders, and nursing home care workers such as CNAs, LPNs, and RNs.
