Pharmacist involvement in a multidisciplinary initiative to reduce sepsis-related mortality.

Purpose: Pharmacy department contributions to a medical center's broad initiative to improve sepsis care outcomes are described.

Summary: Timely and appropriate antimicrobial therapy is a key factor in optimizing treatment outcomes in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. The inpatient pharmacy at Wake Forest Baptist Health implemented standardized processes to reduce order turnaround time and facilitate prompt antibiotic administration as part of the hospital's multidisciplinary "Code Sepsis" initiative.