National Sepsis Program
The significant burden of sepsis in Switzerland stands in stark contrast to the current low level of public awareness and lack of coordinated action. Through better early detection, timely treatment and targeted support for those affected and their families, we want to reduce the impact of sepsis and improve the quality of treatment.
Swiss National Action Plan against Sepsis
In 2022, Switzerland launched the National Action Plan on Sepsis to improve awareness, prevention and treatment of this life-threatening disease. The action plan sets out strategies and priorities to achieve the goals of the World Sepsis Declaration 2030. It aims to develop solutions tailored to the needs of the Swiss population and healthcare system to improve the treatment and recovery of sepsis patients.
About the program
The Swiss Sepsis Program is a joint project led by doctors and project managers from the University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Bern University Hospital and Lausanne University Hospital. The program is supported by the Federal Quality Commission and is scheduled to run from September 2023 to December 2028.
The initiative focuses on advocacy and education, the introduction of best practices for sepsis care and the establishment of a sepsis registry and benchmarks. These efforts are aimed at improving the quality of sepsis care. The main objectives are to reduce the sepsis burden in Switzerland by:
- Implementing the recommendations of the National Action Plan against Sepsis (SSNAP)
- Establishing national advocacy and guidelines to improve the prevention, early detection and treatment of sepsis and to support sepsis survivors and their families.
Work Packages
The Swiss Sepsis Program consists of five work packages (WPs). Each work package is jointly managed by a leader and a deputy and is designed to promote cooperation and networking between different professional groups, experts from different parts of the country and affected patients and their relatives.
WP 1 – Program management
Main objectives:
- Program Management & Coordination: Ensuring the successful management and coordination of all program activities, including the timely achievement of milestones, effective communication between teams and optimal resource allocation.
- Stakeholder engagement: Promoting relationships with all stakeholders through regular communication, involvement in central decision-making processes and prompt and effective handling of stakeholder concerns.
Leading institution: University Children’s Hospital Zurich
Medical management: Prof. Dr. med. Luregn Schlapbach, PD Dr. med. Nora Lüthi
WP 2 – Public relations and raising awareness of sepsis
Main objectives:
- Raising awareness and educating the population about sepsis and strengthening advocacy
- Launch of a national campaign to raise public awareness of sepsis
Leading institution: Inselspital Bern
Medical management: PD Dr. med. Christine Thurnheer, Dr. med. Simone Ehrhard
WP 3 – Training and education of healthcare professionals
Main objectives:
- Promoting knowledge and expertise in the prevention, detection and treatment of sepsis among healthcare professionals.
- Creating a sepsis-specific education program and developing materials for the education, training and continuing education of healthcare professionals to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of sepsis in all age groups
Leading institution: Inselspital Bern
Medical management: PD Dr. med. Christine Thurnheer, Dr. med. Simone Ehrhard
WP 4 – Clinical standards and sepsis treatment pathways
Main objectives:
- Establishment and implementation of clinical standards and treatment pathways to improve the detection, treatment and follow-up of sepsis in all age groups
- Development of age-specific care models for follow-up care after sepsis
Leading institution: CHUV Lausanne
Medical management: PD Dr. med. Sylvain Meylan, Prof. Dr. med. Eric Giannoni
WP 5 – Benchmarking and evaluation
Objective:
- Evaluation of quality improvement measures and sepsis-related care pathways in the hospitals
- Establishment of a uniform and well-founded definition of sepsis as well as harmonized data collection and development of the infrastructure for a national sepsis register.
Leading institution: University Children’s Hospital Zurich
Medical management: Prof. Dr. med. Luregn Schlapbach, PD Dr. med. Nora Lüthi
