S. 1929: Securing Enhanced Programs, Systems, and Initiatives for Sepsis Act

This bill, known as the Securing Enhanced Programs, Systems, and Initiatives for Sepsis Act, aims to improve the detection, treatment, and overall management of sepsis in the United States. It addresses the need for better resources and strategies to combat sepsis, which affects approximately 1.7 million people each year in the U.S. and results in around 350,000 deaths annually.

Key Findings

The bill identifies several critical issues regarding sepsis:

• Sepsis is a major health problem with a high mortality rate.
• There is a pressing need for increased federal investment in sepsis research, including pediatric studies.
• The healthcare workforce responsible for infection prevention requires additional support to better manage sepsis cases.
• Treatment of sepsis is costly and often leads to high rates of hospital readmissions.
• A significant portion of sepsis cases begins outside of hospital settings.
• Most deaths from sepsis are preventable with timely intervention.
• Existing protocols such as New York State's "Rory’s Regulations" demonstrate promising results in early detection and treatment.

Sepsis Programs

The bill proposes establishing new programs within the Public Health Service focused on sepsis:

• The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will lead an education campaign on best practices for sepsis management in hospitals.
• Efforts will be made to improve data collection on pediatric sepsis cases.
• Collaboration with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will help develop quality measures aimed at better sepsis outcomes.
• The bill mandates updating data elements related to sepsis to enhance interoperability among health information systems.
• It encourages various initiatives within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create effective sepsis outcome measures.

Reporting and Briefings

Under the bill, the Director will be required to:

• Submit a report within one year on developing outcome measures for sepsis, considering both social and clinical factors.
• Provide annual briefings on sepsis-related activities, including hospital compliance with sepsis best practices and pediatric sepsis rates.
• Evaluate the impact of the Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements on care quality.

Honor Roll Program

A voluntary recognition program for hospitals that demonstrate effective sepsis management or improvements will be established. This program will involve:

• Soliciting applications from qualified hospitals.
• Setting public benchmarks for effective sepsis programs.

Funding

The bill proposes an allocation of $20 million each year from 2026 to 2030 to support these initiatives aimed at enhancing sepsis care and reducing its incidence.

Relevant Companies

None found