In a move to improve sepsis detection and treatment, HCA Healthcare’s Los Robles Health System has developed a revolutionary new tool referred to as the ‘smoke detector for sepsis’. According to a news release distributed on August 26, this innovative algorithmic device, formally known as the Sepsis Prediction and Optimization of Therapy (SPOT), is purposely designed to identify early warning hints of sepsis, thus enabling healthcare teams to provide prompt responses.
Gabriella Sherman, MD, the Chief Medical Officer at HCA Healthcare’s Los Robles Health System, emphasized the importance of rapid sepsis treatment, stating that it must be approached with the same urgency as a heart attack or stroke. The adoption of SPOT allows subtle but crucial changes in a patient’s state to be spotted much earlier than conventional methods allow. This affords medical teams the opportunity to swiftly intervene, thereby enhancing chances of saving lives.
SPOT employs a continuous monitoring mechanism that scrutinizes clinical data for significant patterns. Upon detecting a pattern consistent with sepsis, the system triggers an alert sent directly to clinical teams’ mobile devices, instigating them to evaluate the patient and commence treatment if necessary. The SPOT tool was first introduced in 2018 and has since been adopted by HCA Healthcare hospitals across the country.
In 2025 alone, hospitals in California and Nevada recorded treatment of over 3,000 patients suffering from severe sepsis or septic shock with an impressive survival rate of nearly 90%. Furthermore, patients were, on average, screened within 12 minutes following a SPOT alert. It is innovations like these that continue to elevate the standards of healthcare delivery and outcome for patients.
Source: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/infection-control/hcas-smoke-detector-for-sepsis-tool/