Real-Time Sepsis Compliance
Ensuring seamless adherence to sepsis protocols is essential for delivering life-saving care and improving patient outcomes. Sepsis demands rapid, precise actions aligned with strict clinical guidelines like the 1-hour, 3-hour, and 6-hour bundles. Missed steps or delays can have serious consequences, making real-time visibility and proactive monitoring non-negotiable.
By empowering healthcare teams with the tools to track compliance, identify gaps, and stay ahead of critical milestones, organizations can enhance clinical performance, drive better outcomes, and demonstrate a commitment to excellence in sepsis care.
Sep-1 In 2025: A Transformational Shift For Value-based Purchasing And Sepsis Care
By Dr. Itay Klaz, Medical Director, CLEW Medical
As a physician deeply invested in patient outcomes, I believe that the upcoming 2025 CMS Sepsis Requirements—including the inclusion of the SEP-1 measure in the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program—will mark a pivotal shift in how hospitals approach sepsis management. Under these new regulations, SEP-1 in Value-Based Purchasing directly ties sepsis care performance scores to Medicare reimbursement, making hospital VBP sepsis compliance a financial imperative.
At the heart of this transition is the CMS Sepsis Bundle in VBP, which standardizes early treatment interventions—blood cultures, antibiotic timing, fluid resuscitation—that can dramatically reduce sepsis mortality and length of stay. For executives, the stakes are high: failure to meet 2025 SEP-1 standards can result in penalties and missed incentives, putting both patient lives and hospital finances at risk.
In response to these evolving demands, many facilities are investing in real-time sepsis surveillance systems and clinical decision support tools. These sepsis management solutions for VBP not only promote adherence to the sepsis bundle but also help hospitals meet the protocol timelines. Highly specific AI-enhanced sepsis alerts help with the early recognition of sepsis “Time Zero” by analyzing documentation, vital signs, labs and imaging data in real time, enabling a precision-based approach to sepsis care.
From an executive perspective, the ROI on sepsis management technology is clear: an effective solution helps avoid VBP penalties, improves patient outcomes, and enhances a hospital’s reputation for clinical excellence. Ultimately, the SEP-1 in VBP requirement should be viewed as a catalyst for investing in robust predictive analytics, EHR integration, and evidence-based protocols—all of which place the patient at the center of care.
As we prepare for 2025, it’s crucial that hospital leaders and clinicians collaborate to embed these sepsis care standards into everyday practice, thereby ensuring sustained improvements in quality, safety, and value.
References
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. FY 2025 IPPS Proposed and Final Rules. Accessed January 20, 2025.
- Singer M, Deutschman CS, et al. The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3). JAMA. 2016;315(8):801–810.
- Surviving Sepsis Campaign. International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock. 2021 Update.
- Dellinger RP et al. Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2021. Crit Care Med. 2021;49(11):e1063–e1143.
Sep-1 Update: Inclusion In Hospital Value-based Purchasing Program Would Be A Victory For Patients
On May 1, 2023, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) took a next step towards incorporating SEP-1 into its hospital value-based purchasing (VBP) program. In a published proposal, CMS proposed that SEP-1 be adopted into the VBP program beginning in 2026, just as the National Quality Forum (NQF) recommended. Although CMS is still making its final decision, this proposal is a promising indication of where SEP-1 may be headed in the future.
Sepsis Management: An Elusive Challenge
With annual acute care and skilled nursing expenses in the U.S. exceeding
$62B
sepsis management is the leading driver of hospitalization costs in the country
Sepsis hospital stays cost
2x
as much as the average stay
Sepsis is the top cause of hospital readmissions, adding
$3.5B
every year to U.S. hospitalization costs
Patients with severe sepsis cases face a
30%
mortality rate, with close to ½ of survivors facing post-sepsis syndrome
Early detection and timely treatment are critical
to saving lives and reducing long-term complications.
CLEW’s Sepsis Virtual Unit
The CLEW SVU solution provides a comprehensive view of septic and suspected septic patients, consolidating them into a single, intuitive interface. Clinicians can access critical patient data, monitor adherence to time-sensitive sepsis bundles, and receive actionable insights on next steps to ensure compliance with clinical guidelines.
SVU Key Features
Early Identification
Automatic identification of septic patients across various sepsis phases for timely intervention.
Automatic Grouping
Aggregates all septic patients into a single, consolidated interface for streamlined management.
EMR Integration
Messages to secure chat and EMR alerts
Compliance Monitoring
Real-time tracking of sepsis protocols with alerts for potential non-compliance.
Enhanced Smart Alerts
Inform the users upon deviation from recommended protocol
Compliance Report
Provides SEP-1 compliance reports to support regulatory requirements and performance insights
