Northern Health has stepped back into the fight against sepsis, recognising world sepsis day on Saturday, September 13, with its locally developed step on sepsis program, aiming to highlight the importance of early detection and treatment of the life-threatening condition.
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition which arises when the body’s response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs and early recognition and treatment is critical.
Associate professor Dr Craig Aboltins, who leads the step on sepsis team alongside coordinators Cassndra Gilbert and Yasmin Sungkar, said sepsis remains one of the world’s deadliest emergencies.
“Sepsis is a medical emergency that can affect anyone,” Dr Aboltins said.
“Those who are very young, very old, have other medical conditions or lower immune systems are particularly at risk. Every year, sepsis claims more lives than road accidents in Australia. When sepsis is recognised and treated early, lives can be saved.”
The step on sepsis initiative began in Northern Health’s Emergency Department in 2013 and has since expanded across wards and sites. Most recently, it was introduced at Kilmore district hospital, where a tailored sepsis checklist was developed to support staff in identifying and managing at-risk patients.
Raising awareness through education and resources for clinical staff remains at the centre of the program’s mission.
