United against sepsis
"Deutschland erkennt Sepsis" and the Swiss Sepsis Program are launching a collaboration.
September 11, 2024 Source: #DeutschlandErkenntSepsis, Alliance for Patient Safety
The #DeutschlandErkenntSepsis campaign and the Swiss Sepsis Program (SSP) will be collaborating in the future. The goal of this enhanced international cooperation is to promote awareness of sepsis among the general public and within the healthcare systems of both countries. By pooling expertise and resources in the coming years, both campaigns aim to strengthen their efforts to reduce sepsis mortality and improve care in Germany and Switzerland.
Zurich, September 11, 2024 JOINT PRESS RELEASE
Action Alliance for Patient Safety, Inc., the #DeutschlandErkenntSepsis campaign
The Swiss Sepsis Program, together with its #DES partners—the Sepsis Foundation, SepsisDialog at the University Medical Center Greifswald, Deutsche Sepsis Hilfe e.V., and the German Sepsis Quality Alliance
Sepsis is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It is a life-threatening overreaction of the body to an infection. Despite its high prevalence, it remains largely unknown to the general public and within the healthcare system.
The collaboration between #DeutschlandErkenntSepsis and the Swiss Sepsis Program (SSP) aims to address this information gap. The SSP is led by renowned university hospitals and funded by the Swiss Federal Commission for Quality in Healthcare (EQK).
United against sepsis
“The partnership with the Swiss program enables us to intensify the exchange of knowledge and best practices across national borders. We are convinced that through this close collaboration, we can make a significant contribution to sepsis knowledge. Together, we can further raise awareness of this life-threatening condition among the general public and healthcare professionals,” said Ruth Hecker, Chair of the Action Alliance for Patient Safety e.V. and initiator of the #DeutschlandErkenntSepsis campaign.
The Swiss side also welcomes the collaboration: “With #DeutschlandErkenntSepsis, we have gained a strong partner that is just as committed to raising awareness and preventing sepsis as we are. Together, we will join forces to improve understanding of sepsis and further promote early detection in both Switzerland and Germany,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. med. Luregn Schlapbach, co-initiator of the SSP.
Recognizing Sepsis Together
Sepsis occurs when the body’s own defense mechanisms are no longer able to prevent the spread of a local infection and the pathogens enter the bloodstream. The body responds by activating its defense systems, particularly the immune and coagulation systems. However, this damages not only the pathogens but also the body’s own organs, such as the lungs, heart, and kidneys. This leads to septic shock and multiple organ failure.
Many cases are preventable
Many cases of illness and death can be prevented through prevention, early detection, and timely treatment—which is why the #DeutschlandErkenntSepsis campaign has been raising awareness about sepsis since 2021. The joint partnership will launch on World Sepsis Day, September 13. “We wish our colleagues from the Swiss Sepsis Program a great start and look forward to supporting the program with our expertise and materials,” says Ruth Hecker, expressing her enthusiasm for the future collaboration. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but we do need to keep it turning through Switzerland, Germany, and the world to bring sepsis knowledge into every living room,” adds sepsis expert PD Dr. Christine Thurnheer from Inselspital Bern. A unique feature of the Swiss program is its translation into the country’s non-German languages. Collaboration with other countries is also in the works.
About the #GermanyRecognizesSepsis campaign
The #DeutschlandErkenntSepsis campaign was launched by the Action Alliance for Patient Safety. Together with its partners—the Sepsis Foundation, SepsisDialog at the University Medical Center Greifswald, Deutsche Sepsis Hilfe e. V., and the German Quality Alliance for Sepsis—the campaign educates the public and healthcare professionals about the prevention, recognition, treatment, and follow-up care for sepsis. The campaign receives funding from the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) and is supported by numerous friends and funding partners. (www.deutschland-erkennt-sepsis.de)
About the Swiss Sepsis Program (SSP)
The national “Sepsis” implementation program, funded by the Swiss Federal Quality Commission (EQK), aims to improve awareness, early detection, treatment, and follow-up care for sepsis. It is part of the implementation of the Swiss National Action Plan on Sepsis. The goal is to reduce the burden of disease caused by sepsis in Switzerland and to improve support for affected patients and their families. The program is jointly led by the University Children’s Hospital Zurich, the Insel Group AG, and the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV). It will initially run from September 2023 to December 2028 (www.sepsis.ch).
