Use of new Philips VISICU program improves management of severe sepsis MIAMI, Jan. 11, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Severe sepsis is a leading cause of death in intensive care units. According to the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), severe sepsis strikes an estimated 750,000 people in the United States each year. Consistent with its ongoing commitment to early intervention and improved patient outcomes, Banner Health worked with Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHGNYSE:AEX:NYSE:PHI) to implement the Philips VISICU eICU® Sepsis Management Program. The program was integrated into existing clinical workflows to facilitate continuous screening and early notification protocols for severe sepsis, as well as improved sepsis bundle compliance. Data on the impact of the program were presented today at SCCM's Critical Care Congress in Miami. During the three-month period following implementation of the eICU Sepsis Management Program in a single ICU at Banner Health, the Banner eICU Center identified 10 cases of severe sepsis that otherwise might have been missed. As a result, 15 percent of patients with severe sepsis in the ICU received earlier intervention and treatment. In addition, Banner Health achieved a 62 percent bundle compliance rate compared to its baseline rate of 35 percent in the preceding six months. "This program is part of an ongoing commitment to sepsis management and education which we felt would drive early notification and continuous screening for sepsis," remarked Crystal Jenkins, RN MHI, senior clinical manager of Banner iCare. "The eICU Sepsis Management Program has met our expectations and allowed earlier identification and treatment of the severe sepsis patient, resulting in increased compliance with the sepsis resuscitation bundle." "Since the implementation of this program, the eICU team has identified additional cases of severe sepsis in the ICU," Jenkins continues. "In each of these cases, diagnosis and treatment of severe sepsis occurred earlier than it would have under routine care." The new eICU Sepsis Management Program was implemented as an extension of the Philips VISICU eICU Program at Banner Health which has already improved the hospital's delivery of evidence-based care to its patients. The eICU Sepsis Management Program uses predictive algorithms and automates key steps of severe sepsis screening to allow for early identification and improved bundle compliance in the treatment of this life-threatening condition. In addition to impacting earlier treatment, hospitals are also able to more accurately code charges to the proper diagnosis. Along with the eICU Sepsis Management Program, Philips Healthcare offers additional solutions to improve identification of severe sepsis. By facilitating earlier clinical intervention, these solutions enable hospitals to better address severe sepsis, helping to save more lives and achieve the objectives set forth by the Surviving Sepsis Campaign and other related initiatives. eICU® is a registered trademark of Philips VISICU. All rights reserved. About Banner Health Headquartered in Phoenix, Banner Health is one of the largest, nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system owns or manages 22 acute-care hospitals, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services including family clinics, home care and hospice services, and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. To learn more about Banner Health, go to http://www.bannerhealth.com/. About Royal Philips Electronics Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE:PHGNYSE:AEX:NYSE:PHI) is a diversified Health and Well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through timely innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of "sense and simplicity". Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs more than 118,000 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 26 billion in 2008, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in flat TV, male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at http://www.philips.com/newscenter. Contact: DATASOURCE: Philips VISICU CONTACT: Banner Health: Crystal Jenkins, +1-480-512-5667, ; or Philips VISICU: Deb Dominianni, +1-410-843-4565, Web Site: http://www.visicu.com/ http://www.eicu.net/

Copyright