The burden imposed by sepsis in Switzerland contrasts with the lack in public awareness, insufficient
institutional efforts to reduce sepsis, as well as absence of national coordination and monitoring to
reduce the impact of sepsis. Sepsis has often been called a disease of systematic failure to
learn.
Root-cause-analyses of patients who die of sepsis commonly reveal reoccurring patterns of
delayed presentation by patients and families due to lack of awareness, delayed recognition by
healthcare staff, and missed opportunities for effective interventions once sepsis is recognized. In
addition, survivors and family members are often left poorly informed about sepsis and its long-term
sequelae which are not appropriately addressed by existing support structures. Other healthcare
systems have summarized these challenges unique to sepsis as the combined effect of a lack of:
– Awareness and education of the public and healthcare workforce
– Standards and pathways for sepsis recognition and treatment
– Follow-up systems for survivor and family support and rehabilitation
In response to that gap, recently, a group of sepsis experts across Switzerland formed a national
multidisciplinary panel to identify the need, gaps, and strategies to address sepsis in Switzerland.
Subsequently, in June 2022 key stakeholders convened at a policy roundtable in Berne
to address the pressing need to improve awareness, prevention, and treatment of sepsis in
Switzerland. Participants included clinical, academic and policy professionals as well as sepsis
survivors from different regions in Switzerland.
The format and processes used to convene the round table and reach consensus on national priorities, to inform the SWISS Sepsis National Action Plan 2022, were based on those used by Sepsis Australia (then the Australian Sepsis Network) in 2017 to Australian Stopping Sepsis National Action Plan https://www.australiansepsisnetwork.net.au/home/ssnap-2
The goal of the roundtable was to formulate a set of consensus recommendations towards creating a Sepsis National Action Plan in Switzerland. The report Swiss Sepsis National Action Plan (SSNAP) September 2022 sets out an action plan to drive improvements in the treatment and recovery of patients with sepsis focusing on four overarching recommendations:
1. Launch a sepsis awareness and education campaign targeting the public, as well as the healthcare workforce.
2. Establish and implement a minimal national standard for the detection, treatment, and follow-up of sepsis.
3. Establish and implement support systems for sepsis survivors and for families affected by sepsis.
4. Promote national sepsis research including healthcare service, translational, and basic science research.
These overarching priorities reflect not only the Australian experience but also global priorities stipulated in the 2017 World Health Assembly Sepsis Resolution 70.7.
Read more here: Swiss-Sepsis-Action-Plan 2022
