Sepsis Care

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As the first hospital in Mississippi to receive The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Sepsis Care, Merit Health Wesley is saving lives with utilization of the nationally recognized “Surviving Sepsis Campaign." We strive to demonstrate the highest adherence rate with the early management bundle to ensure best outcomes for our patients. Through our participation in a company-wide collaborative for sepsis mortality prevention and on-going daily review of sepsis patient needs, we have remained a leader in sepsis care. Learn how to identify sepsis so that you or a family member may seek treatment as soon as sepsis signs are present. Rapid treatment saves lives.

For more information on the Surviving Sepsis Campaign and sepsis prevention, view the below resources and educational links.

Sepsis Alliance
Sepsis Information Guide
Sepsis Prevention
Life After Sepsis
Sepsis Fact Sheet

What is sepsis?
Sepsis is the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to an infection which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 1.5 million people get sepsis each year. Sepsis is responsible for about 250,000 deaths annually in America with one of every three hospital deaths occurring due to the condition. This life threatening condition is the body’s severe response to an infection and without timely treatment can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure and even death.

When can you get sepsis?
Sepsis can occur in anyone, at any time, from any type of infection and can affect any part of the body. It can occur even after a minor infection.

What causes sepsis?
Any type of infection that is anywhere in your body can cause sepsis, including infections of the skin, lungs (such as pneumonia), urinary tract, abdomen (such as appendicitis) or other part of the body. An infection occurs when germs enter a person’s body and multiply, causing illness and organ and tissue damage.

Who gets sepsis?
Anyone can get sepsis as a bad outcome from an infection, but the risk is higher in:

• People with weakened immune systems
• Babies and very young children
• Elderly people
• People with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, AIDS, cancer and kidney or liver disease
• People suffering from a severe burn or wound

Ask your doctor about your risk for getting sepsis.