THE CHALLENGE The patient was admitted for hypoxia and fatigue, and by the next day, he had his first fever and registered a modified early warning system (MEWS) score of 8. Sepsis protocol was initiated to alert the rapid response team, and the provider was at the bedside within just seven minutes. Within twenty minutes, lactate and blood cultures were collected, and fluids and antibiotics were infused in less than an hour. The patient improved over the next few days and was discharged home. This is the sepsis response at University of Utah Health now, but it wasn’t always that fast and smooth. Like at countless other hospitals across the U.S., sepsis response is a priority for University of Utah Health. Sepsis, a life-threatening complication of an infection, occurs when chemical

Join for free to read