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It’s the leading cause of death in American hospitals, and Louisiana hospitals are struggling with the highest rates in the country.
Yet when it comes to sepsis, not much research exists to explain why our bodies develop this condition, which occurs when the immune system overreacts to a serious infection, damaging tissue and vital organs if it’s not treated early.
In January, the FDA approved an innovative machine that determines, within minutes, the likelihood of a patient developing sepsis. This is a game-changer for hospitals, and the research behind it actually started right here at Our Lady of the Lake Health in Baton Rouge.
A RESEARCH HUB AT THE LAKE
Every patient who enters an emergency room undergoes a routine blood draw for a variety of tests. Since 2014, Our Lady of the Lake’s researchers and clinicians worked with medical diagnostic company Cytovale to develop the IntelliSep test, which inspects a small part of that blood sample to determine if white blood cells are behaving in a way that would indicate a septic patient.
In less than 10 minutes, the IntelliSep test can empower emergency department teams to make quick, life-saving decisions and set patients on a path to the best treatment.
“This was something we did here in Baton Rouge from beginning to end. The very first test was done with a blood sample from a patient out of this hospital, so early on, we became an important clinical partner in the success of this project,” says Dr. Hollis O’Neal, Medical Director of Research at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Critical Care Physician at LSU Health Sciences Center.
EASING THE BURDEN ON EMERGENCY ROOMS
Emergency room teams are already operating under immense pressure to treat every patient with attention and care. Delays in sepsis treatment can lead to health complications that exacerbate the true illnesses that bring patients to an emergency room in the first place.
According to the Sepsis Alliance, as many as 80 percent of sepsis deaths could be prevented with a rapid diagnosis and treatment. Fortunately, the IntelliSep test will be entering the market soon, integrating into emergency room processes in Louisiana and across the country to help doctors make informed decisions faster.
“You have to have an excellent clinical partner to create this kind of success,” says Dr. Christopher B. Thomas, Medical Director of Quality and Patient Safety for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and Critical Care Physician at LSU Health Sciences Center. “To be part of this journey from beginning to end speaks to our clinical excellence as well as our top-tier researchers who lend their expertise to some of the premier research institutions in the country.”
Find out more at ololrmc.com/sepsis.
