Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute announces launch of Center for Sepsis Epidemiology and Prevention Studies (SEPSIS)

New Center to enhance sepsis care and prevention through innovative research

2025-02-11

(Press-News.org) Boston, MA – The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute is proud to announce the launch of the Center for Sepsis Epidemiology and Prevention Studies (SEPSIS). This pioneering center of excellence is dedicated to advancing understanding, prevention, and management of sepsis, a life-threatening condition caused by a dysregulated immune response to infection.

The SEPSIS Center will be led by Dr. Chanu Rhee and Dr. Michael Klompas, internationally recognized leaders in sepsis surveillance, prevention, treatment, and policy. Both serve as faculty at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and bring a wealth of expertise and a shared commitment to advancing sepsis research and care.

“Sepsis is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, yet it remains under-recognized and challenging to address effectively,” said Dr. Rhee. “Our Center is uniquely positioned to generate insights to inform clinical care, quality improvement, public health practice, and health care policy.”

Each year in the United States, sepsis affects over 1.7 million adults and contributes to more than 350,000 deaths. Globally, the figures are even more alarming: 49 million cases and 11 million deaths annually, equating to one in five deaths worldwide. The economic and emotional toll is staggering, with survivors commonly facing long-term health challenges.

Despite its immense burden, progress in combating sepsis has been hindered by the challenge of accurate diagnosis, gaps in epidemiologic surveillance, uncertainties about optimal prevention and treatment, and limited public understanding. The launch of the SEPSIS Center represents an important step forward towards addressing these challenges and accelerating solutions.

The SEPSIS Center will collaborate with partners across Harvard and around the world to address critical challenges in sepsis care and prevention. Key focus areas include:

Sepsis Surveillance and Epidemiology: Conducting comprehensive studies to characterize sepsis incidence, outcomes, antibiotic use, and antibiotic resistance patterns. Quality Measures and Policy Impact: Evaluating current sepsis policies and quality measures, developing evidence to support new policies and quality measures. Innovative Research Collaborations: Partnering with leading health care systems and public health agencies to design and implement evidence-based strategies to enhance sepsis prevention, recognition, and treatment. “We have both the responsibility and the opportunity to drive meaningful change in the fight against sepsis,” added Dr. Klompas. “We aim to reduce sepsis incidence, inform more targeted and effective treatments, refine sepsis policies, and ultimately help drive better patient outcomes.”

The Center’s mission aligns with the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute’s commitment to improving health care delivery and population health through research and innovation.

“The SEPSIS Center embodies our dedication to tackling the most pressing challenges in health care,” said Emily Oken, president of the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Harvard Medical School Professor and chair of the Department of Population Medicine. “We are thrilled to support this initiative and its potential to make a lasting impact on sepsis care and prevention.”

About the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute’s Department of Population Medicine
The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute's Department of Population Medicine is a unique collaboration between Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Harvard Medical School. Created in 1992, it is the first appointing medical school department in the United States based in a health plan. The Institute focuses on improving health care delivery and population health through innovative research and education, in partnership with health plans, delivery systems, and public health agencies. Follow us on Bluesky, X, and LinkedIn.

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