GLOVERSVILLE, NY – Every September, healthcare providers, the public, and organizations big and small come together to raise awareness of sepsis, the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals. Sepsis is a public health crisis, taking a life every two minutes, according to the Sepsis Alliance. That is 270,000 lives lost to sepsis every year in the U.S., more than lives lost to opioid overdoses, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined.

“We are proud,” says Wes McFee, Performance Improvement Specialist. “Nathan Littauer Hospital is in the 94^th percentile when it comes to New York State Sepsis Protocol. We’re in the top five percent of all hospitals in the state. It is amazing how much we’ve learned and adapted our protocols. We’ve increased our reaction to and treatment of sepsis. When lives are in the balance, our team is solely focused on appropriate sepsis care. It’s rewarding because I am sure we have saved lives due to our compliance with these protocols.”

Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home is helping to raise awareness by offering information provided by the Sepsis Alliance.

Sepsis Alliance created an acronym to help recognize signs and symptoms of sepsis – TIME™. The abbreviations for the acronym are: T for Temperature that is abnormal, I for signs of Infection, M for Mental Decline, and E for feeling Extremely ill.

Nathan Littauer is recognizing Sepsis Awareness Month during September by mounting a social media and radio campaign. According to Sepsis Alliance, “The key to saving lives is TIME. For every hour treatment is delayed, the risk of death increases by as much as eight percent. ‘TIME’ is a memory aid, developed by Sepsis Alliance, to help individuals remember the signs and symptoms of sepsis and the urgent need for medical treatment when they are present.”

For information about more signs and symptoms of sepsis, statistical data regarding sepsis, or to join the organization, please visit: www.sepsis.org

###

About Nathan Littauer

Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home is a full-service, 74 bed acute care hospital with an 84 bed skilled nursing home. Since 1894, Nathan Littauer has provided safe, high-quality health and wellness services with a focus on securing appropriate new technologies for people residing in Upstate New York. Over the years, the hospital has expanded its services in order to offer health care that is comprehensive, accessible, and relevant to the needs of the communities they serve. More information can be found by visiting www.nlh.org