A reduction in hospital mortality from severe sepsis and septic shock was associated with participation in the Surviving Sepsis Campaign performance improvement initiative, according to an article published simultaneously in the February issues of Critical Care Medicine and Intensive Care Medicine and posted ahead of print at www.ccmjournal.com.
"A multifaceted performance improvement initiative was successful in changing treatment behavior as evidenced by a significant increase in compliance with sepsis performance measures," says lead author Mitchell M. Levy, M.D. "These results should encourage similar efforts with other evidence-based guidelines as a means of improving patient care and outcomes."
"Application of two time-related bundles of care based on the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines in a performance improvement program results in measurable behavior change in the care of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock," adds Dr. Levy, a professor of medicine at Brown University School of Medicine in Providence, R.I. A "bundle" is a group of therapeutic actions, which applied together and measured for compliance, improve outcomes as compared to being applied individually.
With the goal of improving sepsis outcomes through standardized care, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, and the International Sepsis Forum launched the Surviving Sepsis Campaign in 2002. The Campaign's updated 2008 guidelines are endorsed by 18 professional societies and hospital networks globally.
Applying the Campaign guidelines was associated with sustained, continuous quality improvement in sepsis care. Additionally, a decline in hospital mortality rates was associated with participation in the Campaign.