AHRQ Sepsis Resources
Sepsis is one of the leading causes of death in U.S. hospitals. This September, AHRQ is offering provider resources and data on the seriousness of sepsis during Sepsis Awareness Month.
Sepsis is a medical emergency. Learning the signs of sepsis for early detection and treatment is crucial. The free AHRQ Toolkit for Improving Antibiotic Use in Acute Care Hospitals offers best practices for diagnosing and treating sepsis. This tool reviews approaches for diagnosing and treating sepsis and discusses when to stop antibiotics for patients who may have sepsis.
AHRQ data sources demonstrate both the problem and prevalence of sepsis. Data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) were used to create a report to Congress that provides an assessment of hospital care for sepsis in the United States. AHRQ also created an interactive data resource on trends in sepsis hospital care and recently updated the following Statistical Briefs on sepsis with 2022 data:
- Addendum to HCUP Statistical Brief#306, Overview of Outcomes for Inpatient Stays Involving Sepsis, 2016–2021
- Addendum to HCUP Statistical Brief#308, Rural and Urban Hospital Differences in Inpatient Stays Involving Sepsis, 2019 and 2021
- Addendum to HCUP Statistical Brief#309, Racial and Ethnic Differences in Inpatient Stays Involving Sepsis, 2016–2021
- Addendum to HCUP Statistical Brief#310, State Variation in Inpatient Stays Involving Sepsis, 2021
Finally, the AHRQ Quality Indicators measure performance over time and include a Patient Safety Indicator (PSI 13) for determining postoperative sepsis rates.
Join AHRQ and other partners across the country in supporting Sepsis Awareness Month. Infection Prevention is Sepsis Prevention™!