Speaker: Dr. Eric Colton
What made sepsis recognition a priority for you at Blessing, and was there a patient moment that pushed you to act?
Dr. Eric Colton: So making sepsis recognition a priority at my program really just came about because nationally it is one of the top 3 causes of maternal morbidity and mortality, and knowing this really pushed myself and my team to incorporate the best possible care when we encounter patients at risk for developing sepsis.
Walk us through the two-step protocol — what does it actually look like on the floor?
Dr. Eric Colton: A priority in identifying patients at risk for sepsis is. Really a simple task of utilizing the proven model from the California Maternal Quality Collaborative Care Group that was developed that provides the highest sensitivity and specificity, and it's a two step process, the first step being obtaining vital signs, and those include heart rate. Temperature and respirations, and the final aspect of this two step is obtaining a complete blood count to evaluate the white blood cells and the cut off points that make a patient test positive for at risk for sepsis is meeting two of the four criteria. And by utilizing this, it really takes out of the equation the clinical impressions of a patient at risk for sepsis or developing sepsis. Oftentimes the symptoms come on slowly and exacerbate very quickly to the point where recognition in a timely manner can be life saving.
How did being part of OBHG enable you to make this happen?
Dr. Eric Colton: Being part of OBHG has enabled me to make this change and draw the attention to the importance of identifying patients at risk for maternal sepsis both locally right here at the very hospital I practice at but also through our network of OBHG clinicians throughout the country and at over 300 programs where we have an influence to make change. This Can involve team meetings that we have or actually going out to a site and providing a lecture on maternal sepsis, but it's with the help and support of OBHG, who is the only nationwide company that has a single focus on maternal care.
