May 20, 2026
Sepsis is one of the most serious medical emergencies, and acting fast can mean the difference between life and death. Each year, nearly 2 million people in the United States develop sepsis. Sepsis can progress rapidly to septic shock, which carries a high risk of death. Research shows that short delays in seeking treatment, even just a few hours, can affect a patient's recovery. At The University of Kansas Health System, sepsis care is a top priority, and our results reflect national leadership, rapid response and a focus on patient safety.
Sepsis happens when the body’s response to an infection becomes uncontrolled, causing widespread inflammation and potentially life threatening organ damage. What makes sepsis especially dangerous is that early signs are often subtle. Confusion, rapid breathing, weakness or a sudden change from what’s normal can easily be overlooked, particularly in older adults or people with weakened immune systems. That’s why we view patients and families as essential partners in recognizing early warning signs.
“We have spent a lot of time making sure our teams know when to suspect sepsis and recognize it quickly,” said Steven Q. Simpson, MD, a nationally recognized pulmonologist and critical care specialist. “That allows us to treat it aggressively before it progresses to severe organ failure or septic shock.”
Dr. Simpson has decades of experience treating seriously ill patients and is a national leader in sepsis care. He chairs the board of directors of Sepsis Alliance, the nation’s largest advocacy organization helping to educate patients and families in sepsis. He has also led efforts to improve how quickly hospitals across Kansas and the nation recognize and treat sepsis.Research shows that for patients in septic shock, the risk of death increases by about 8% for every hour antibiotics are delayed. When treatment begins within the first hour, survival improves dramatically. This evidence drives how we care for patients every day.
When sepsis is suspected at The University of Kansas Health System, treatment starts immediately, often before all test results are complete. Teams deliver antibiotics, fluids and supportive care while working quickly to find and treat the source of infection. This coordinated, rapid approach saves lives.
We have spent a lot of time making sure our teams understand when to suspect sepsis and to recognize it when they see it so we can treat rapidly and aggressively and keep it from becoming more life threatening." Steven Simpson, MD
Because of this focus on speed and preparation, the health system achieves better results for patients than the national average. Across the country, the death rate for sepsis is 15-20%. At the health system, that number is less than 5%. Put simply, fewer patients die from sepsis when they are treated at our health system.
Innovation further strengthens our care. Advanced blood tests help identify sepsis earlier, while artificial intelligence tools monitor vital signs and lab trends to alert clinicians to early warning signs, making sure no time is lost.
Our commitment also extends to community education. Through national awareness efforts like the TPR (temperature, pulse, respiratory rate) campaign, created by the Sepsis Alliance, we help patients and families understand how to spot the early signs of sepsis. TPR reminds people to pay attention to 3 changes that can signal a serious infection: a fever or unusually low temperature, a fast heartbeat and rapid or difficulty breathing. These signs, along with a mental decline, may indicate a need for immediate emergency care. By helping people know what to look for and understand that sepsis is a medical emergency, we encourage them to seek care sooner. Early treatment makes a critical difference and leads to better outcomes for patients with sepsis.
Sepsis treatment requires rapid response
Dr. Stephen Q. Simpson, MD
We actually do have tools that are pretty effective, but they're effective the earlier you use them in the course of this illness. So we have spent a lot of time here at KU trying to make sure that our folks understand when to suspect sepsis and to recognize it when they see it, so that we can treat rapidly and aggressively and keep it from becoming more life threatening in its organ dysfunction or becoming septic shock. So we know that sepsis is time sensitive. The treatment and the recovery are time sensitive, and so we work hard on trying to make sure that people get their treatment rapidly and aggressively.