Rural Sepsis Care in Action: Real-world Insights and Successes Through CDC’s Sepsis Core Elements

Sepsis is a life-threatening response to infection and a leading cause of hospital mortality, making early recognition and coordinated care essential. To help hospitals strengthen their sepsis programs, the CDC developed the Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements, a framework for building effective and sustainable sepsis care processes. Through the American Hospital Association’s Living Learning Network, rural healthcare organizations including Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Kootenai Health and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health shared practical strategies for improving sepsis outcomes. Their experiences highlight multidisciplinary collaboration, data-driven action and continuous education as key drivers of stronger sepsis programs, demonstrating how rural hospitals can implement scalable approaches that improve patient care and outcomes.