European Sepsis Report – Switzerland
Background
Until now, Switzerland has lacked a coordinated approach to address sepsis. The 2021 European Sepsis Report revealed that – contrary to other European countries – Switzerland had not yet actioned the WHO sepsis resolution. In Switzerland, data from 2017 which were obtained through the Global Burden of Disease study, indicate that every year over 19,000 persons suffer from sepsis3, and almost 3,500 patients will die because of sepsis every year. The exact costs resulting from sepsis in Switzerland are unknown. A previous study using data from 1998–2000 observed an average direct cost of CHF 41,790 (standard deviation CHF 33,222) per sepsis case and estimated annual costs of CHF 493 to 1,199 million per year in Switzerland.
What is happening
In response, a large group of sepsis experts formed a national multidisciplinary panel and met in a workshop to identify the needs, gaps, and strategies to address sepsis in Switzerland. The expert panel included clinical, academic, and policy professionals, as well as sepsis survivors from different Swiss regions. The goal of the workshop was to formulate recommendations to create a Swiss Sepsis National Action Plan (SSNAP).
The Swiss Sepsis National Action Plan (SSNAP) was released on September 13th, 2021, and has been published recently.
Results, next steps, and challenges
Specifically, the panel developed four main recommendations to address sepsis in Switzerland. The whole panel agreed on four key recommendations as key priorities to reduce the impact of sepsis on Swiss patients and society:
Launch a sepsis awareness and education campaign.
Develop and implement a national standard for the detection, treatment, and follow-up of sepsis.
Implement support systems for sepsis survivors and for families affected by sepsis.
Promote sepsis research to improve how we recognize and treat sepsis.
At present, discussions are happening at various levels to define how these recommendations can be put into action.