For the fourth year in a row Marshall Medical Center has been nationally recognized for quality outcomes in the treatment of sepsis and has received the Healthgrades 5-Star rating from 2013-2016.

Healthgrades independently analyzes and rates the performance of 4,500 hospitals each year.

Sepsis can be caused by a simple infection such as pneumonia, a urinary tract infection, skin infection or an animal bite. The infection can progress into a life-threatening condition that can lead to organ dysfunction, kidney failure and septic shock.

Symptoms include a suspected infection that progresses with increasing fever, low blood pressure and/or an altered mental state with excessive lethargy.

“Early detection and treatment are the keys to successful treatment,” said Bradley Barnhilll, M.D., an internal medicine physician at Marshall Medical Center. “While the incidence of sepsis in the United States has tripled to become the 10th leading cause of death, the survivability rate is improving due to early recognition and identification, and more aggressive treatment.”

Marshall Hospital has taken several proactive steps to help prevent sepsis among patients and aggressively treat any infection as early as possible.

Measures include training pre-hospital emergency medical services personnel and early screening for sepsis in the Emergency Department. The staff is diligent about rapid identification and treatment of sepsis, which includes administering large amounts of fluids and antibiotics. As a result, Marshall Medical Center has the second lowest mortality rate throughout the Sacramento area.

People can get sepsis at any age, but it is more common in those who are ill or weakened. Infants, the elderly and people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, kidney and liver disease or those with suppressed immune systems and long term steroid use are more susceptible.

Anyone with concerns regarding infection or sepsis should contact their healthcare provider.