Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1173622
16 INFECTION CONTROL & PATIENT SAFETY Sentara Healthcare adopts AI system to predict sepsis By Mackenzie Bean S entara Healthcare implemented a new sepsis detection system this year to help predict patients who may be at risk for the life-threatening condition, according to The Virginian-Pilot. The Norfolk, Va.-based system had previously created its own sepsis alert system that used nine data points to detect the first signs of sepsis in patients. The new system uses artificial intelli- gence to analyze about 4,500 pieces of EHR data and predict sepsis before it occurs. Once the algorithms identify a patient at high risk of developing sepsis, the detection system sends an alert to clinicians on the patient's med- ical chart. The alert also offers providers clinical guidance for next steps. Sentara Healthcare partnered with the analytics company Jvion to develop the system. n Former Arkansas physician charged in deaths of 3 patients By Ayla Ellison F ederal prosecutors on Aug. 20 charged a former Veterans Affairs pa- thologist with three counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of three patients, according to e Washington Post. According to federal prosecutors, Robert Morris Levy, MD, misdiagnosed the three patients and then falsified their medical records to conceal the mistakes. In one case, prosecutors allege a patient died of prostate cancer aer Dr. Levy con- cluded that a biopsy indicated the patient did not have cancer, according to NPR. Dr. Levy worked at the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks in Fayette- ville, Ark., until he was fired from the hospital in April 2018, according to CBS News. He was suspended from his job twice for working while impaired before being fired. In addition to the involuntary manslaughter charges, Dr. Levy also faces mul- tiple charges of fraud and making false statements for allegedly attempting to conceal his substance abuse and incorrect diagnoses, according to CBS News. A June 2018 review of Dr. Levy's work found more than 3,000 mistakes or misdiagnoses of patients at the veterans hospital dating back more than a de- cade, according to NPR. e Department of Veterans Affairs told investigators and members of Congress the misdiagnoses were responsible for at least 15 deaths, according to e Washington Post. n ®