Senators introduce the SEPSIS Act

Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Bob Casey, D-Pa., Sept. 11 introduced the SEPSIS Act, legislation which would task the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with building on its current efforts addressing sepsis care. New efforts would include an education campaign about addressing sepsis in hospitals, improving pediatric sepsis data collection, sharing information with the Department of Health and Human Services on data collection, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on sepsis quality measures, and the development and implementation of a sepsis outcome measure. The bill also includes a voluntary recognition program for hospitals which maintain effective sepsis programs or improve their programs over time.

"America's hospitals and health systems are committed to improving patient safety and reducing sepsis," said Stacey Hughes, AHA executive vice president of government relations and public policy. "We thank Sen. Schumer for his leadership on this important issue and support the SEPSIS Act's efforts to combat this life-threatening condition through increased education and development of a sepsis outcome measure that could help better assess progress in improving sepsis care."