The specification manual infers that only physician, APN, or PA documentation 
can be used in abstracting the criterion of Documentation of Suspected Source 
of Infection.   The way I interpret this is not to use nurse documentation or 
diagnostic test results (i.e., CXR positive for pneumonia).

The data dictionary for severe sepsis presentation also reads as if this 
documentation note must be timed within 6 hours of SIRS and organ dysfunction.  

This doesn't seem right either, as you could initiate treatment for suspected 
or known pneumonia and if the patient developed severe sepsis >6 hours later 
without again documenting the suspicion of pneumonia, the case would be thrown 
out for inclusion in the measure?

Sheree Brown MSN, RN, CNL
Manager, Performance Excellence
Phone: 517 205-4209 ext. 4209
Pager:  517 534-0127
Fax:     517 788-4715 
[email protected]



-----Original Message-----
From: Sepsisgroups [mailto:[email protected]] On 
Behalf Of Townsend, Sean, M.D.
Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2015 10:36 AM
To: Rona Capps
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Sepsis Groups] severe sepsis determination

Probably you say no, but if you expand the pneumonia search to things like 
nursing notes for suspicion of infection, not a formal diagnosis, I bet you can 
get an earlier time.

However, if they don't overlap, no big deal -- you are only excluding a chart, 
not failing the measure.

On Oct 18, 2015, at 7:08 AM, Rona Capps <[email protected]> wrote:

Please help. The Spec manual states that criteria must be found within 6 hours 
of each other to qualify for the severe sepsis diagnosis but many charts that I 
review are delayed in one thing or another. Current chart example that meets 
specific criteria: 

9-22 @ 2121 lactate =2.1            organ dys
9-22 @ 2255 HR = 111                SIR
9-23 @ 1600 documentation of pneumonia    Infection
9-24 @ 0550 WBC = 14.3            SIR
9-24 @ 0832 RR = 24                SIR
As you can see the time span is great.  
2 SIRs, Infection and organ dysfunction all met at 9-24 @ 0550 but did not take 
place within 6 hours of each other but rather days. Severe sepsis is NOT 
documented by physician. Do I say NO to severe sepsis question?
Thank you
Rona Capps, RN
Sepsis/VTE/Meaningful Use Quality Coordinator Jackson Hospital Montgomery, AL  
36116 [email protected]


*************
_______________________________________________
Sepsisgroups mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.sepsisgroups.org/listinfo.cgi/sepsisgroups-sepsisgroups.org
_______________________________________________
Sepsisgroups mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.sepsisgroups.org/listinfo.cgi/sepsisgroups-sepsisgroups.org
_______________________________________________
Sepsisgroups mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.sepsisgroups.org/listinfo.cgi/sepsisgroups-sepsisgroups.org

Reply via email to