Identifying Pediatric Sepsis: Physician Judgment vs. an Electronic Alert

Investigators retrospectively determined the performance characteristics of physician judgment versus an electronic algorithmic alert for identifying children (aged 60 days to 18 years) presenting to a pediatric emergency department (ED) with fever (≥38.5°C) or hypothermia (<36°C) who developed severe sepsis or septic shock within 24 hours. Physician judgment was considered positive for suspected sepsis if a standard electronic sepsis pathway order was placed. Electronic alerts were positive for potential sepsis if, at any time during the ED visit, either three vital signs were abnormal (temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, or blood pressure) or two vital signs were abnormal and any of the following were present: ≥1 high-risk conditio…