DCMH staff accept the VHA East Coast Certificate of Excellence. From left to right: Judy Falcone, R.N., nurse educator, Maureen DePrince, DCMH stroke coordinator, Linda Palma, R.N. CEN, CNOR, Evidence-Based Medicine program nurse, Andrea Hafer, clinical pharmacist, Jerri LaRocco, DCMH assistant vice president of Patient Services, Jo-Zetta Shawl, DCMH assistant vice president of Patient Services, Patricia LaPorta, R.N., clinical nurse educator, Jennifer Cummins, R.N., ED staff nurse, Flossie Hogan, R.N., ICU nurse.
Drexel Hill, PA – Two Crozer-Keystone Health System hospitals, Delaware County Memorial Hospital (DCMH) in Drexel Hill, and Crozer-Chester Medical Center (Crozer) in Upland, recently received VHA awards for excellent sepsis care. DCMH received two VHA awards and Crozer received one on Thursday, June 18, during a VHA Conference held at DCMH. VHA is a national conglomeration of not-for-profit hospitals dedicated to ethical conduct, quality standards and financial responsibility, improving patient care and efficiency.
Sepsis is the body’s response to an infection, causing inflammation and impairing blood supply to vital organs. Sepsis is a serious medical condition that affects 750,000 people each year and has a 30-50% mortality rate. Any infection can become severe, leading to severe sepsis, so the initiative to provide quick, standardized care is of the highest importance. Crozer-Keystone Health System hospitals is working to reduce the incidence of sepsis in its hospitals. CKHS joined VHA’s ICU RAN (Intensive Care Unit Rapid Adoption Network), a collaborative of 16 hospitals dedicated to decreasing sepsis-related fatalities.
DCMH received two awards, one for the development and implementation of a comprehensive sepsis program and another for decreasing sepsis mortality. These awards signify the culmination of a comprehensive multidisciplinary initiative to decrease mortality rates caused by severe sepsis and septic shock. VHA recognized DCMH for their achievements in decreasing mortality rates among patients with severe sepsis and septic shock and improving patient care.
The staff at DCMH formed the Surviving Sepsis Committee, whose goal was to develop a comprehensive evidence-based sepsis care program. Protocols were developed and implemented along with an extensive educational program for physicians and nurses. The committee focused on early recognition of sepsis and rapid treatment interventions. They identified quality measures to monitor performance and assessed the clinical practice to ensure high quality patient care. DCMH staff developed sepsis care guidelines, protocols, order sets and procedures to improve overall outcomes. An education campaign was presented to over 250 nurses and physicians encompassing all aspects of sepsis management.
Linda Palma, R.N., CEN, CNOR, Evidence-Based Medicine program nurse at DCMH, explains, “A multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and lab technicians developed our guidelines, protocols and processes after reviewing evidence-based literature. We then introduced our best practice guidelines by offering an extensive education program to all of our health care providers to help deliver the best care possible. We have learned through evidence-based practices that early recognition and management of sepsis can reduce mortality, improve care to these patients and decrease associated costs with length of stay.”
DCMH has decreased severe sepsis-related mortality by 38 percent. Jackeline Iacovella, M.D., chief of the Section of Infectious Diseases and co-chair of the DCMH Surviving Sepsis Committee, says, “Our combined efforts worked. Delaware County Memorial Hospital is now at the forefront of the management of its patients. Our patients have a better chance to survive a severe sepsis event.
“We want to provide outstanding care to our patients, to our community, to our families and friends. We are proud of the entire Delaware County Memorial Hospital staff, because with their dedication and hard work, many more of our sickest patients are now home with their families,” Iacovella adds.
VHA also recognized Crozer-Chester Medical Center with the “VHA Certificate of Excellence for Goal Achievement in Sepsis Mortality Improvement” award. Crozer also has improved sepsis standards, decreasing severe sepsis-related mortality rates by 13 percent.
In many ways, Crozer mirrored the work being done at DCMH. They organized a Sepsis Team that met bi-monthly. The team developed protocols aimed at focused assessment and rapid treatment of sepsis on patient care units and in the Emergency Department, and created a severe sepsis order sheet for patients transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. The team recognized that the bedside nurse is the key to saving lives. Early recognition prompts early intervention, a hallmark of the international Surviving Sepsis Campaign. The committee created a nurse-driven protocol to facilitate early diagnosis.
The committee launched a large educational effort, providing lectures to all nursing units about the importance of early recognition and the nurse’s role. This dedicated group of employees continues to meet monthly to evaluate their progress.
Gary Wendell, M.D., and Caroline Haggerty, CKHS Evidence-Based Medicine program coordinator, lead the sepsis initiative at Crozer. Wendell says, “We are thrilled that our efforts to improve survival in severe sepsis are being recognized.” Haggerty adds, “The Sepsis Team has worked diligently throughout the year and this award reflects the team’s efforts and shows the commitment and dedication that Crozer-Chester Medical Center has to improving patient care, safety and outcomes.”