About the program
Our sepsis program focuses on improving early recognition and escalation of sepsis for better patient outcomes.
Sepsis is a medical emergency that must be treated immediately and can be difficult to recognise. It's one of the leading direct causes of death in Australia and worldwide.
Goals
Our program will help:
- reduce adverse outcomes from sepsis
- promote the use of evidence based tools, resources and models of care
- develop new and efficient ways to diagnose sepsis as early as possible
- build confidence among health professionals in spotting the signs of sepsis, escalating senior medical officer review, and initiating early treatment
- increase public awareness of sepsis, including what to look for.
Our work is based on the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard (SCCS) and contributes to the Stopping Sepsis National Action Plan.
Find our sepsis resources for health professionals on the Queensland Health website.
Meeting these goals
We'll improve sepsis recognition and treatment through initiatives in the following areas.
Screening tool and clinical pathway
We're supporting health professionals by giving them a single Adult Sepsis Pathway to follow.
The pathway focuses on:
- recognising the early signs of sepsis
- following the appropriate escalation procedure
- putting in place standardised and evidence based treatment plans.
A digital version of the pathway is due to be launched in 2025.
We've also developed a screening tool specifically for use in primary health settings.
Queensland sepsis algorithm
We're using machine learning to increase the predictability of sepsis, so it can be found and treated earlier.
We're looking at retrospective data to help:
- predict risk factors with a high degree of certainty
- match symptoms to indicators for early signs of sepsis.
We're working with the University of Queensland to develop a working artificial intelligence algorithm for use in clinical practice. This tool will help health professionals identify hospital patients at risk of sepsis earlier. The algorithm will be tested in clinical trials before being available in Queensland public hospitals.
Education and awareness
Early recognition and escalation can improve sepsis outcomes. We are improving education and awareness for:
- pharmacists
- primary health professionals
- consumers.
We know that pharmacists and primary health professionals play an important role in the healthcare journey of many consumers. By improving education and awareness for these key groups, we can improve the likelihood of sepsis being picked up early.
Our Could it be sepsis? education program aims to:
- increase awareness and knowledge through training and campaigns
- give clear and easy to follow advice about when to seek help
- co-design resources that meet specific needs
- initiate earlier medical attention for improved outcomes.
Post-sepsis care
We're improving post-sepsis care for survivors and their families. By talking to survivors and getting a better understanding of their needs after leaving hospital we can:
- create relevant and evidence based resources and guidelines for healthcare providers
- increase awareness about the importance of post-sepsis care.
We're working with The George Institute for Global Health and the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Healthcare. Learn more about the post-sepsis support project and read our consumer survey report [PDF 208.4 KB].
Who we work with
- The George Institute for Global Health
- Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Healthcare
- Sepsis Australia
- University of Queensland
- hospital and health services in Queensland
- community pharmacists and the Pharmacy Guild
- primary care providers
- consumers and their families.
Contact
For more information, email sepsis@health.qld.gov.au.