Myrtle Beach, SC - Grand Strand Regional is the second hospital in the nation to achieve disease specific care certification for sepsis by The Joint Commission. Sepsis strikes an estimated 750,000 people annually in the United States and 250,000 people die each year from sepsis. The numbers have increased in recent years due to an aging population and increasing antibiotic resistance.

Grand Strand Regional has assembled a dedicated team approach to the treatment of sepsis that has shown to improve outcomes. The Sepsis Alert program educates and assists nurses with identifying potential sepsis and expediting treatment.

In achieving Joint Commission certification, Grand Strand Regional has demonstrated a commitment to the highest level of care for patients with sepsis. The Joint Commission evaluated the hospital’s compliance with consensus based national standards, effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care for sepsis and an organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.

Sepsis is the body’s response to infection and is a life-threatening illness that should be treated rapidly and appropriately by healthcare professionals. Normally the body fights infection on its own, but once sepsis begins, the body’s normal process goes into overdrive, setting off a cascade of events that can lead to widespread inflammation and blood clotting in tiny vessels throughout the body.

Risk factors include having a weak immune system, having had surgery or having an infection such as pneumonia, meningitis or urinary tract infection. Symptoms include chills, fever, shortness of breath, decreased urination, confusion and nausea or vomiting. Sepsis is treated with antibiotics and intravenous fluids.