Mercy Data Supports FDA Authorization of AI Tool to Detect Life-Threatening Sepsis

ST. LOUIS, June 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized a new tool called Sepsis ImmunoScoretm, created by Prenosis, Inc. This tool uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect sepsis, a serious and hard-to-diagnose response to infection. Mercy was one of 10 study sites nationwide that helped test this tool, making the authorization possible.

Sepsis is a severe reaction to an infection and can be deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.7 million adults in the U.S. get sepsis each year, and one in three patients who die in hospitals had sepsis during their stay.

"We know how dangerous sepsis can be, and having tools to detect it quickly is crucial," said Dr. Ashok Palagiri, vice president of Mercy Virtual inpatient services. "This clinical trial and research is essential in spotting sepsis early. We are grateful to have contributed to this research and we're hopeful this tool will save lives."

Since 2019, Mercy Research has provided 30,000 blood samples, which would have typically been destroyed and discarded, to Prenosis for this study. Prenosis used these samples to test how well the Sepsis ImmunoScoretm works. The tool combines lab and clinical data to analyze the patient's response to infection.

The Sepsis ImmunoScoretm looks at 22 different factors to give a risk score and category. This score would then be available in the hospital's electronic records, making it easily accessible to clinicians. The tool also shows how each factor affects the final score, helping the patient care team to trust and understand the results. 

To read the full Prenosis, Inc., release, click here.

Mercy, one of the 20 largest U.S. health systems and named the top large system in the U.S. for excellent patient experience by NRC Health, serves millions annually with nationally recognized care and one of the nation's largest and highest performing Accountable Care Organizations in quality and cost. Mercy is a highly integrated, multi-state health care system including more than 50 acute care and specialty (heart, children's, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, convenient and urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies. Mercy has over 900 physician practice locations and outpatient facilities, more than 4,500 physicians and advanced practitioners and 50,000 co-workers serving patients and families across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In fiscal year 2023 alone, Mercy provided more than half a billion dollars of free care and other community benefits, including traditional charity care and unreimbursed Medicaid.

SOURCE Mercy