

NYSOFA's Director Olsen Stresses Importance of Recognizing SEPSIS Symptoms
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It occurs when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Most cases of sepsis start before a patient goes to the hospital. Infections that lead to sepsis most often start in the lung, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract.
It is a life-threatening medical emergency. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. In a typical year throughout the United States:
Risk Factors
While anyone can develop Sepsis, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) says those at higher risk include:
How Someone Can identify Sepsis
It’s crucial you get medical care right away if you have an infection that is not getting better or getting worse. The CDC says a person with sepsis might have one or more of the signs or symptoms:
Sepsis and New York State
New York State has long led in sepsis prevention and intervention efforts, including Rory’s Regulations. In response to the tragic death of Rory Staunton, New York State was the first in the nation to establish a statewide mandate requiring all hospitals to adopt sepsis protocols. The protocols were designed to improve rapid identification and treatment of sepsis.
Additionally, New York and Home Care Association of New York State (HCA) implemented a first-in-the-nation sepsis screening tool and protocol for home care clinicians. Learn more about this tool on the HCA website: https://hca-nys.org/stop-sepsis-at-home/.
Links to Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention