SEPSIS Act

Key Points

• Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency that happens when the body has an extreme response to an infection. This bill aims to reduce the 350,000 deaths caused by sepsis each year by helping hospitals find and treat the condition much faster.
• The bill directs the CDC to create a special sepsis team to lead a national education campaign. This team will teach healthcare workers the best ways to spot sepsis early, particularly in children, and will help hospitals share data to improve patient survival rates.
• The government would create a voluntary 'Honor Roll' program to recognize hospitals that excel at treating sepsis. To earn a spot, hospitals must show they are meeting high standards for early detection and are successfully lowering the number of patients who get sick or die from the condition.
• Congress would provide $20 million every year through 2030 to fund these efforts. This money will support research into better treatments and help the medical workforce stay trained on the latest ways to prevent infections from turning into sepsis.
• Because 80 percent of sepsis cases actually start outside of a hospital, the policy focuses on better coordination between different health agencies. The goal is to ensure that no matter where a patient is treated, doctors have the tools and information they need to act quickly.