Prevention Activities

What CDC is Doing

CDC works to prevent infections that could lead to sepsis through support for:

• Vaccination against diseases caused by germs like pneumococcus, meningococcus and influenza
• Smoking cessation programs (because smokers have higher risk for pneumonia)
• Strategies that prevent healthcare-associated infections
• Research on prevention of infections that can cause sepsis

CDC collaborates with patient advocates and clinical partners to promote preventing infections that can lead to sepsis and sepsis early recognition among healthcare providers, patients, and their families.

What States are Doing

• State Policy Approaches to Sepsis Prevention and Early Recognition[PDF – 105 KB]
• Vital Signs August 2016 Teleconference: How Three States Tackled Sepsis

What Organizations are Doing

Organizations are working to improve sepsis outcomes. Their goal is to reduce sepsis illness and death. They use a common approach, discuss progress, and share lessons learned.

• Sepsis: Putting the Pieces Together
• A Broad View of National Pediatric Sepsis Efforts (Children’s Hospital Association)
• Sepsis Alert Program Leads to More Timely Diagnosis and Treatment
• Removing Sepsis (American Hospital Association)
• Think Sepsis—A Multidisciplinary Approach to Identify Early Sepsis and Improve Patient Outcomes (American Hospital Association)
• Improving Sepsis Mortality and Cost of Care through Quality Improvement[PDF – 2.27 MB]
• Leading The Quest for Quality – 2011 Profiles In Quality and Patient Safety [PDF – 255 KB]
• Reducing Sepsis Mortality[PDF – 313 KB]
• STOP Sepsis Collaborative (Greater New York Hospital Association)
• United Hospital Fund (STOP Sepsis Collaborative)
• Nine-Hospital Collaborative Reduces Sepsis Mortality by Approximately 50 Percent
• First Steps and Measures to Reduce Sepsis Mortality

*CDC is not currently affiliated with any of these organizations.

Prevention Resources

• Institute for Healthcare Improvement: Sepsis
• Medscape: Sepsis
• Rory’s Regulations (New York)[PDF – 50 KB]