Feasibility of early detection of infection and sepsis in the home

PROJECT ABSTRACT Sepsis, the systemic manifestation of infection, causes complex and costly hospitalizations with unacceptably high morbidity and mortality. Most research focuses on detection of the sepsis within the hospital; however, most sepsis is community-acquired and thus begins in the home. Nightingale Labs has developed a fully automated non-contact home bed sensing platform that detects signatures of hospitalizations without requiring any patient participation. Here, we will test whether the technology can be used to detect infections or sepsis. This SBIR proposal will evaluate the feasibility (Phase 1) and execute (Phase 2) a prospective observational study to learn the signatures of impending hospitalizations for localized or systemic infection. The work will substantially expand the toolkit for facilitating early recognition and intervention to reduce infection- and sepsis-associated morbidity and mortality.