Rooks County Health Center (RCH) in Plainville, Kansas will be accepting a 2018 Sepsis Hero award given out by the Sepsis Alliance, September 13, 2018, in New York City. Rooks County Health Center was nominated for the facility’s great work in improving sepsis treatment and outcomes for patients in their area.
Rooks County Health Center (RCH) is a 20-bed Critical Access Hospital that participates in in the Health Research and Educational Trust Hospital Improvement Innovation Network with Kansas Healthcare Collaborative, Kansas Clinical Improvement Collaborative, Midwest Critical Care Collaborative, Dr. Simpson from the University of Kansas Medical Center, as well as partnering with Great Plains Quality Innovation Network on the Sepsis Special Innovations Project.
Each of these projects/collaboratives contain a special focus on sepsis recognition and treatment. According to the University of Kansas Medical Center, the state of Kansas has a mortality rate due to sepsis as high as 50%, much greater than the mortality rates for heart attacks (9.6%) or strokes (9.3%).
Stephanie Bjornstad
Stephanie Bjornstad, Quality Coordinator/Risk Manager for RCH states “the partnership with Dr. Simpson from the University of Kansas Medical Center was integral to the success of RCH by engaging and guiding the providers of RCH. We know that by raising awareness of the recognition and treatment of Sepsis here at Rooks County Health Center, we are saving the lives of our community members. We are saving our friends and family and it is a rewarding job knowing you helped save a life.”
Great Plains QIN received special funding to work in one rural geographical location in each state to increase awareness and early recognition of sepsis. Our team is offering evidence-based tools, resources, training, and subject matter experts to reach rural communities and raise awareness of sepsis as a medical emergency. We believe improvements can be made in early recognition and treatment of sepsis in the targeted communities to reduce progression from sepsis to severe sepsis and septic shock that may result in death.