CMS Issues Sepsis Measure Update

While many sepsis cases are due to unknown organisms and broad spectrum antibiotic selection is appropriate, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is releasing an update to the Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: Management Bundle measure to allow for organism specific antibiotic administration when there is clinician documentation that indicates the causative organism and susceptibility are known. The specification update also allows for organism specific antibiotic treatment of C. difficile suspected sepsis

The measure update is included in version 5.2 of the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Manual in the section on sepsis. Version 5.1 of the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Manual was posted on QualityNet in December 2015 and is available here:https://www.qualitynet.org/dcs/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=QnetPublic%2FPage%2FQnetTier3&cid=1228775436944. Version 5.1 becomes effective July 1, 2016, so the changes to the Sepsis measure also affect this version.

CDC and CMS believe that antibiotic stewardship and optimal sepsis management are complimentary efforts that both serve to improve patient care. For more information on sepsis: www.cdc.gov/sepsis.

QualityNet - Version 5.1

Clostridium difficile Infection

People getting medical care can catch serious infections called healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). One type of HAI – caused by the germ C. difficile – was estimated to cause almost half a million infections in the United States in 2011, and 29,000 died within 30 days of the initial diagnosis. Those most at risk are people, especially older adults, who take antibiotics and also get medical care. CDC provides guidelines and tools to the healthcare community to help prevent Clostridium difficileinfections as well as provides resources to help the public safeguard their own health.