A new study co-authored by UBC faculty of medicine researchers estimates the British Columbia Sepsis Network averted 981 sepsis cases and 172 deaths between 2014 and 2018. By averting these cases, the health-care system saved $50.6 million in 2018, according to findings recently published in Critical Care Medicine.
Dr. Tex Kissoon
“We hope our work can serve as a model of care for other provinces in Canada and elsewhere,” said study co-author Dr. Tex Kissoon, professor in UBC’s department of pediatrics, investigator with BC Children’s Hospital, executive medical director of Children’s & Women’s Global Health, and president of the Global Sepsis Alliance.
Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to infection begins to damage its own tissues and organs. The condition can be fatal if not recognized and treated promptly. In 2017, 48.9 million new cases of sepsis and 11 million sepsis deaths were estimated, representing the leading cause of death worldwide, according to an international study co-authored by Dr. Kissoon.
There are limited statistics on the burden of sepsis in Canada, but it’s well known that a disproportionate burden exists where inequity in access and quality of care exists in Canada and around the world. Apart from sepsis deaths, about 40 per cent of sepsis survivors may be readmitted to hospital as well as higher odds of disabilities among sepsis survivors. While sepsis is more common in elderly people, young people are also vulnerable to poor outcomes from sepsis.
“We hope our work can serve as a model of care for other provinces in Canada and elsewhere.”
Dr. Tex Kissoon
The British Columbia Patient Safety & Quality Council formed the British Columbia Sepsis Network in June 2012 to support the early identification and rapid treatment of new sepsis infections, prevent the development of sepsis and treat sepsis and sepsis shock.
The Network employed a model of distributed leadership to share resources, improve care, disseminate innovation and collaborate for knowledge translation. As of 2020, the Network included more than 36 hospitals and 300 members, including patient partners, frontline staff, physicians from various specialties, quality improvement experts and hospital administrators.
Dr. David Sweet
For this study, the sepsis cases and deaths averted over time for B.C. were calculated and compared with the rest of Canada. A total of 981 in-hospital sepsis cases were averted in B.C. compared with the Canadian average of 611 cases averted throughout the studio period. In that same time period, 172 deaths were averted in B.C. versus the Canadian average of 127 deaths.
Financial analysis shows that the British Columbia Patient Safety & Quality Council invested a cumulative $449,962 in the Network. The lower occurrence of in-hospital sepsis and mortality translated into societal savings of $50.6 million, or a return of $112.50 for every dollar invested in the Sepsis Network.
“The study’s findings strengthen a policy argument for largescale sepsis quality improvement initiatives,” said senior author Dr. David Sweet, clinical associate professor in UBC’s department of emergency medicine, a critical care lead at Vancouver General Hospital, sepsis clinical lead for the British Columbia Patient Safety & Quality Council, and chair of the BC COVID Therapeutics Committee.
A version of this story was originally published by BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute.