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SEATTLE, Sept. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sepsis is the primary cause of death from infection worldwide, with over 18 million cases per year, and represents the most costly condition treated within hospitals in the United States, hitting 20 billion dollars in 2011 alone.^1,2 Reducing delays in the rapid recognition of early signs of sepsis, and the time taken to deliver a standardized treatment, is an urgent opportunity for cost savings and improved patient outcomes in health care today. Virginia Mason Institute now offers a solution for organizations and health care teams ready to achieve their own breakthroughs in the treatment of sepsis.

Virginia Mason has devoted over five years of process improvement work to the early identification and intervention of sepsis, achieving a high value care approach for the patient and maximizing efficiency for the health care team. The Sepsis Power Hour bundle was also implemented in units with high sepsis mortality numbers that are often overlooked, such as medical surgery. Since 2011, the Sepsis Power Hour: Rapid Recognition and Treatment bundle has led to a decrease in patient mortality due to sepsis by 45 percent. In addition, a 90-day episode cost at Virginia Mason is now $22,082, as compared to the national average of $28,130³, a 21.5 percent treatment cost reduction per episode.

According to Evan Coates, MD, a hospitalist at Virginia Mason, "What has really changed with patients and families is in the numbers. 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."

This highly coordinated, nurse-empowered approach facilitates the consistent deployment of life-saving measures that can be performed in less time to protect the patient from a worsened condition. The average time of sepsis bundle delivery completion at Virginia Mason decreased by 54 percent between 2014 and 2017.  In addition, Virginia Mason has experienced a 15 percent reduction in patient discharges to long-term care facilities. Rapid response team calls were reduced by 33 percent, from 120 to 40 calls per month.

From intensive coaching, to ensuring a successful and sustainable implementation, Virginia Mason Institute experts provide tailored guidance and expertise to participating health care teams at every step of the way. Organizations can benefit from the proven experience and success of Virginia Mason by adopting the highest quality methods and systems into the delivery of health care and empowering their health care teams to deploy the rapid sepsis treatment bundle in time, every time.

About Virginia Mason Institute

At Virginia Mason Institute we believe that zero-defect health care is possible. We are committed, we are confident, and we can transform health care. By creating and sustaining cultures of continuous improvement; through the delivery of training that inspires, prepares and guides; and in helping organizations solve their urgent and persisting problems, we can transform health care. It is possible. Together we will relentlessly pursue the improvement of patient safety, patient experience and the quality, cost, and delivery of health care.

CONTACT:
Elizabeth Kimball
Public and Media Relations
Virginia Mason Institute
marketing@virginiamasoninstitute.org

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SOURCE Virginia Mason Institute