Life-saving SPOT program functions as "smoke detector for sepsis" in Ventura County

Every year, more than 1.7 million Americans are hospitalized with sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection that can lead to organ failure or death. Despite its prevalence, sepsis remains underrecognized, yet it is deadlier than breast cancer, prostate cancer and AIDS combined, claiming approximately 350,000 lives annually in the U.S.

HCA Healthcare’s Los Robles Health System is highlighting its efforts to change those odds through the use of SPOT (Sepsis Prediction and Optimization of Therapy), an advanced, real-time algorithm designed to “sniff out” early warning signs of sepsis and help care teams act faster than ever before.

“Sepsis is a medical emergency that must be treated as urgently as a heart attack or stroke,” said Dr. Gabriella Sherman, chief medical officer of Los Robles Health System. “By using SPOT, we can identify subtle but critical changes in a patient’s condition hours earlier than traditional methods, giving our teams the ability to intervene quickly and save lives.”

How SPOT Works

• SPOT continuously monitors patient vital signs, lab results, nursing reports and other clinical data.
• When a dangerous pattern consistent with sepsis is detected, an alert is sent directly to clinical teams’ mobile devices within minutes.
• Care teams can then quickly assess the patient and begin treatment immediately if sepsis is confirmed.

Since its enterprise-wide rollout in 2018, SPOT has functioned as a “smoke detector for sepsis” across HCA Healthcare hospitals nationwide—operating 24/7/365. In the Far West Division alone, which represents HCA Healthcare hospitals in California and Nevada, more than 3,000 patients with septic shock or severe sepsis have been treated so far this year, with nearly 90% surviving thanks to rapid recognition and intervention. On average, patients are now screened within 12 minutes of a SPOT alert.

Why It Matters

• Sepsis is the number one cause of death in non-cardiac intensive care units.
• Every hour of delayed diagnosis increases the chance of death by 4–7%.
• Early detection and immediate treatment are the keys to survival.
• By combining clinical expertise with cutting-edge technology, HCA Healthcare is ensuring patients in our community receive the fastest and most effective sepsis care possible.

“Awareness and innovation go hand in hand,” added Dr. Sherman. “We want our community to know the signs of sepsis, but also to feel reassured that we are leveraging every tool available, including technology like SPOT, to provide the best chance at survival.”