Sepsis takes a devastating toll on patients and healthcare organizations. Here is what the numbers say.
40% of U.S. adults have NEVER heard of sepsis.
The human impact
- 7 million adults develop sepsis annually
- It’s the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals: 270,000 die each year
- ~6% of all hospitalizations are due to sepsis; 35% of all in-hospital deaths are due to sepsis
- Mortality risk rises 8% each hour that treatment is delayed
- 19% of people hospitalized with sepsis need to be re-hospitalized within 30 days
- ~80% of sepsis deaths could be prevented with rapid diagnosis and treatment
- Sepsis survivors have a shortened life expectancy, are more likely to suffer from an impaired quality of life and are 42% more likely to commit suicide
The economic impact
- $24 billion–$27 billion in annual hospital expenses are associated with sepsis care
- 1 cause for hospital readmissions, costing >$2 billion annually
- $18,400 = the average cost per hospital stay for sepsis; double the per-stay cost across all other conditions
Sepsis symptoms include:
S – Shivering, fever or very cold
E – Extreme pain or general discomfort (“worst ever”)
P – Pale or discolored skin
S – Sleepy, difficult to rouse, confused
I – “I feel like I might die”
S – Shortness of breath
Source: Sepsis Alliance Fact Sheet
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