Swiss Sepsis Program

Sepsis is a medical emergency. The disease is often recognized too late. The Swiss Sepsis Program (SSP) is committed to ensuring that sepsis in Switzerland is better known, recognized earlier and treated more quickly and in a more targeted manner.

Aims and sponsorship of the Swiss Sepsis Program (SSP)

Sepsis usually develops as a result of an infection and can quickly become life-threatening. Many cases are recognized or treated too late. This has serious consequences for patients, their relatives and the healthcare system.

As part of the Swiss Sepsis Program (SSP), experts and patients have been working since 2023 to ensure that sepsis in Switzerland is better known, recognized earlier and treated more quickly and in a more targeted manner. The program also aims to improve follow-up care for those affected.

The University Children’s Hospital Zurich (Kispi), the Inselspital Bern and the Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois CHUV in Lausanne are responsible for the program. The program is funded by the Swiss Federal Quality Commission (EQC) for the healthcare sector. It runs from September 2023 to December 2028.

Implementation of the National Action Plan against sepsis

The SSP emerged from the Swiss National Action Plan against Sepsis (SNNAP). With this plan, Switzerland took an important step in 2022 to raise awareness of sepsis and improve prevention, early detection and treatment in a targeted manner.

The action plan is based on the goals of the World Sepsis Declaration 2030 and develops solutions for Switzerland that are tailored to the needs of the population and the healthcare system.

Activities of the Swiss Sepsis Program

The SSP brings together specialists from various professions and specialist areas, from medicine and nursing to research and public health.

The program includes a public awareness campaign, educational opportunities, improvement and publication of treatment standards and an improvement in statistical data collection and evaluation.

To the team Learn more about sepsis Read the Swiss Sepsis Report

The Swiss Sepsis Program works in five thematic work packages

In each work package, specialists from different professions and regions work together with those affected and their relatives. In this way, we promote cooperation, pool knowledge and develop solutions for the whole of Switzerland.

Program management

This work package is about coordinating the overall program. This includes coordinating central activities, monitoring implementation and the targeted use of resources.

This work package also includes exchanges with key partners and stakeholders and their involvement in central processes.

Leading institution: University Children’s Hospital Zurich
Medical management: Prof. Dr. med. Luregn Schlapbach

Public relations and education

The aim of this work package is to communicate knowledge about sepsis and options for action against sepsis to the public. This is done in collaboration with other work packages and with a multi-year publicity campaign.

Leading institution: Inselspital Bern
Medical management: PD Dr. med. Christine Thurnheer

Training and education of healthcare professionals

This work package focuses on the training and further education of healthcare professionals. It includes educational offers and materials for the prevention, early detection and treatment of sepsis in all age groups.

Leading institution: Inselspital Bern
Medical management: PD Dr. med. Christine Thurnheer

Clinical standards and treatment pathways

This work package focuses on clinical standards and treatment pathways to improve the detection, treatment and follow-up of sepsis in all age groups. This also includes the development of age-specific models for care following sepsis.

Leading institution: CHUV Lausanne
Medical management: PD Dr. med. Sylvain Meylan, Prof. Dr. med. Eric Giannoni

Benchmarking and evaluation

This work package is concerned with the evaluation of quality improvement measures and sepsis-related care pathways in hospitals. It also includes the further development of a uniform definition of sepsis, harmonized data collection and the foundations for a national sepsis register.