Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) is raising awareness about sepsis during Sepsis Awareness month this September. Sepsis is the body’s overwhelming and life threatening response to infection, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. Sepsis takes more lives than opioid overdose, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined. As many as 80% of sepsis deaths could be prevented with rapid diagnosis and treatment. Sepsis remains a public health crisis, taking a life every two minutes in the United States. The key to saving lives is TIME. This acronym stands for Temperature, Infection, Mental Decline, and Extremely Ill. If any of these signs are present, it is urgent to seek medical treatment.
At TGMC, every patient that comes through the Emergency Department is screened for sepsis. Hospital staff know the signs and are able to act fast if sepsis is suspected. Patient progress is checked frequently and antibiotic therapy is reassessed in order to prevent sepsis from occurring. TGMC also urges patients to do their part and get vaccinated, wash hands, care for open wounds, and if prescribed to antibiotics, take them properly.
This September, TGMC is asking everyone to take TIME to save lives. For every hour treatment is delayed the risk of death increases by as much as eight perecent. “TGMC is creating awareness by taking every measure possible to put an end to sepsis,” said Phyllis Peoples, president and CEO. “Prevention is the key, along with detecting sepsis early and starting immediate treatment which often is the difference between life and death.”
Members of the team at TGMC pictured are Teresita McNabb, Leslie Martin, Donna Ward, Tara Stringer, Cathy Kohmann, Dr. Brian Roberts, Laura Melancon, Roxanne Hernandez, Lisa Reynolds, Amy Shriner, Nichol Ledet, Angela Mathieu, and Laura Zeringue.