Sepsis Collaborative Saves Georgia Hospitals Over $3.7 Million
Vizient MidSouth Sepsis collaborative members, including Atrium Health Navicent, celebrate their achievements over the past year, including over $3.7 million in savings/cost avoidance.
"Each member of the collaborative has worked to make improvements within its own organization to effectively prevent, identify, treat and manage sepsis and septic shock. We are pleased with the work taking place at Atrium Health Navicent to prevent sepsis, and congratulate our team on this well-deserved award," said Linda Pender, Sepsis Benefits Realization Coordinator for The Medical Center, Navicent Health.
Comprised of nine member organizations, participants had the opportunity to collaborate on a regional and national level. Members learned from subject matter experts, shared knowledge and received individual on-site support from Vizient MidSouth performance improvement staff on process flow mapping, project management and coaching calls. Additionally, participants received a comparative dashboard focused on average length of stay (ALOS), mortality and national benchmarks.
For 2016, the collaborative reported over $3.7 million in savings/cost avoidance. While all members of the collaborative contributed to the overall number, the top three members that submitted data, consistently participated and produced significant documented value included DeKalb Medical (Hillandale and North Decatur); The Medical Center, Navicent Health; and Piedmont Athens Regional.
"Our team has worked diligently to minimize the threat of sepsis for our patients, providers and payors. We are incredibly pleased with their efforts and honored to be named one of the top hospitals in the state in the fight against sepsis," said Crespo.
Sepsis, the human body's overwhelming response to infection, is a life-threatening condition that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and even death.
It is important for healthcare providers, as well as members of the community, to know the signs and symptoms of sepsis. These may include shivering and fever, extreme pain or discomfort, clammy and sweaty skin, confusion and disorientation, shortness of breath and high heart rate. Certain individuals are particularly at risk for developing sepsis, including those who have recently had a lung infection such as pneumonia, a urinary tract infection (UTI), a gut infection or a skin infection.
About Vizient MidSouth
Vizient MidSouth is a membership alliance for not-for-profit health care providers that exists to ensure its members deliver cost-effective care by connecting them with the knowledge, solutions and expertise that accelerate performance.
About Atrium Health Navicent
Atrium Health Navicent was incorporated on November 17, 1994, as a nonprofit corporation whose primary purpose is to coordinate the Medical Center, Navicent Health and other affiliated entities in their mission of providing a comprehensive continuum of high quality, reasonably priced healthcare services to the region. Atrium Health Navicent has 830 beds for medical, surgical, rehabilitation and hospice purposes. The health system includes The Medical Center, Navicent Health, a nationally recognized tertiary teaching hospital; Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olson Children's Hospital, the region's only dedicated pediatric hospital; Medical Center of Peach County, Atrium Health Navicent, a rural critical access hospital; Rehabilitation Hospital, Atrium Health Navicent, the region's oldest and most experienced rehabilitation provider; Pine Pointe, Atrium Health Navicent, which provides palliative and hospice care in homes and in its facility; Carlyle Place, Atrium Health Navicent, the area's first continuing care retirement community; Navicent Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Atrium Health Navicent; as well as diagnostic and home care services. For more information, please visit www.navicenthealth.org.