The Home Care Association (HCA) of New York State has honored Dr. Martin E. Doerfler of Northwell Health with the Statewide Physician Champion Award for his pivotal role in combating sepsis mortality within the home health sector. Dr. Doerfler’s dedication has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the Home Care Association Screening Tool Of Sepsis, a vital resource for early detection and intervention in home care settings.
Sepsis, often called the “silent killer,” is a life-threatening condition arising from the body’s overwhelming response to an infection. This condition affects over a million Americans annually and carries a high mortality rate. Dr. Doerfler, as Senior Vice President of Clinical Strategy and Development at Northwell Health, has been at the forefront of sepsis reduction efforts. His leadership led to a remarkable 68 percent decrease in sepsis mortality within Northwell Health hospitals over the last decade.
Building on this success, Dr. Doerfler collaborated with the HCA, IPRO, the Sepsis Alliance, and The Rory Staunton Foundation for Sepsis Prevention to launch the Home Health Sepsis Screening and Intervention Initiative in 2017. This initiative directly addresses the challenges of sepsis management in home care by providing clinicians with the essential Home Care Association screening tool of sepsis.
This innovative HCA Sepsis Tool is specifically designed for home care clinicians. It serves as a comprehensive assessment instrument to evaluate a patient’s history, infection risks, systemic inflammation criteria, and indicators of new organ dysfunction. The tool incorporates a screening instrument, a clear algorithm, a standardized protocol, and patient education resources. It is grounded in established medical criteria, including the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (q-SOFA) criteria, ensuring its clinical validity and reliability.
Al Cardillo, president and CEO of HCA, emphasized the transformative impact of Dr. Doerfler’s work, stating, “This award recognizes Dr. Doerfler’s transformative work with HCA and the home health field. He provided medical expertise, extensive time and leadership in developing this national-first sepsis screening and intervention tool and protocol through the home and community health system.” Dr. Doerfler’s commitment extended to serving as a core medical advisor on HCA’s Sepsis Steering Committee and delivering a keynote address at HCA’s 2014 Quality Symposium, underscoring the importance of early sepsis recognition and intervention.
Dr. Doerfler’s journey in medicine began with sepsis research, seeking effective treatments for this deadly condition. His efforts at Northwell Health have significantly reduced sepsis mortality among hospital patients. Reflecting on his award and the collaborative effort, Dr. Doerfler stated, “Working with HCA on its sepsis initiative has brought to home care the kind of rigor and evidence-based protocols that have made a difference in the hospital setting, and I am proud to see the outcomes already being observed by this groundbreaking endeavor.” The Home Care Association screening tool of sepsis stands as a testament to his dedication and a significant advancement in patient safety within the home health landscape.
