15 Years With Sepsis Alliance – Part Two
January 10, 2022
In 2022, Sepsis Alliance is celebrating 15 years of advocacy, education, and support for sepsis survivors, caregivers, medical providers, and those who have lost their lives to sepsis.
What started out of tragedy has become the leading sepsis organization in the U.S., dedicated to saving lives and reducing suffering by improving sepsis awareness and care.
Sepsis Alliance was founded in 2007 by Carl Flatley, DDS, MSD, whose daughter Erin died unnecessarily of sepsis when she was 23 years old. Dr. Flatley, now a retired endodontist, had never heard of sepsis before Erin’s diagnosis. When he tried to learn more about sepsis, he found nothing. Spurred into action, Dr. Flatley founded Sepsis Alliance to educate others about the condition that took his daughter’s life, and that now takes the lives of over 270,000 others in the U.S. every year.
You, our supporters, have made a huge impact on our work, and in your communities as sepsis advocates. In the 15 years since its inception, Sepsis Alliance has worked diligently to provide education, resources, and support to save lives and limbs, and your support has been imperative to our work. To reflect upon and honor these years of service, we have compiled 15 of our top achievements since 2007.
This is part two of a series. Check back on Mondays to see what else made the list! Read part one here.
5. Erin K. Flatley Spirit Award
In conjunction with Sepsis Heroes awards, Sepsis Alliance has also awarded a single Erin K. Flatley Spirit Award annually. This award is for a deserving individual, selected by the Sepsis Alliance team, who exemplifies the spirit of Erin Flatley. Winners have included America’s Got Talent runner-up Angelica Hale, a sepsis survivor and advocate who uses her exceptional voice to bring attention to sepsis, and Alyssia Aguilar, an illustrator who created Bug, the cartoon ladybug, for use in Sepsis Alliance’s children’s educational materials. Learn more about Erin’s Campaign for Kids here.
6. Sepsis: It’s About TIME™
In 2018, Sepsis Alliance launched Sepsis: It’s About TIME™, a national initiative to raise awareness of sepsis and the urgent need to seek treatment when symptoms are recognized. Sepsis is a medical emergency as severe as stroke or heart attack, but its symptoms are less often recognized. We felt there needed to be a striking and easy-to-remember mnemonic for the signs and symptoms to watch for. With that in mind, T.I.M.E. was born.
This award-winning campaign has been featured in articles and media around the world and continues to help people quickly recognize sepsis. Learn more here.
7. Launched Sepsis Alliance Clinical Community
In May 2018, Sepsis Alliance launched a first-of-its-kind online network for healthcare professionals. The Sepsis Alliance Clinical Community (SACC), first known as the Sepsis Coordinator Network, provides users with evidence-based best-practice resources and guidance to improve outcomes for patients with sepsis. This peer-to-peer network has now grown to nearly 3,000 members representing nearly 2,000 hospitals and facilities with over 670,000 hospital beds. All practicing healthcare professionals are invited to join this FREE community.
This network is such a valuable resource for all hospitals in our country looking for innovative ways to obtain early recognition and ensure appropriate and prompt treatment.
–Sepsis Alliance Clinical Community Member
Are you a practicing healthcare professional looking to deepen your knowledge, receive focused feedback, and further develop your practice? Learn more and join here.
8. Launched Sepsis Alliance Institute
Before 2019, Sepsis Alliance was often asked to provide educational resources for healthcare providers. Sepsis was still not a main topic of conversation in medical schools, nursing schools, or continuing education opportunities. In October 2019, we launched the Sepsis Alliance Institute (SAI) in response to this need. SAI is an online learning platform that provides healthcare professionals across the continuum of care with high-quality, evidence-based sepsis education and training. Over 23,700 learners have earned nearly 45,000 FREE continuing education credits from courses on best practices in sepsis recognition, treatment, and care. Learn more and view the expansive offerings here.
**Check back next Monday for part three of the series**
