Sharon Parsley (sharon.parsley@adventhealth.com) is a Regional Corporate Responsibility Officer for AdventHealth in Ocala, FL.

Sepsis is an acute or systemic immune response to a bacterial, fungal, or viral infection. Sepsis that affects the function of one or more major organ systems is referred to as “severe sepsis.” Patients with severe sepsis who have continued organ system impairment and/or low blood pressure that does not respond to treatment with adequate fluid replacement are considered to be in “septic shock.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, sepsis is on the rise in the US, with more than one million Americans suffering from severe sepsis every year.^[1] Approximately 250,000 Americans die from sepsis each year—more than the number of deaths attributable to breast cancer, prostate cancer, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome combined.^[2] The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicates that nearly $24 billion in healthcare costs arose from sepsis care during 2013, making it the most expensive condition treated in US hospitals.^[3]