Be-SNAP: the Belgian Sepsis National Action Plan

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Healthcare Policy
• Infectious Disease Management

Background:

• Sepsis poses a major health challenge in Belgium, causing over 40,000 cases annually, nearly 8,000 premature deaths, and substantial economic costs.
• Despite its impact, Belgium has lacked a national sepsis plan, prompting a scientific initiative to address this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development process of Belgium's National Sepsis Action Plan.
• To outline evidence-based recommendations for reducing the sepsis burden in Belgium.
• To provide a comprehensive framework for sepsis prevention and care.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary working group, including healthcare professionals, public health actors, and patient organizations, was established.
• A Haddon matrix framework guided the development of recommendations across seven key topics.
• Recommendations were tailored to the Belgian healthcare system through literature reviews and consensus-building.

Main Results:

• Seven key topics were identified: awareness, prevention, early warning, patient management, post-sepsis rehabilitation, advanced care planning, and surveillance/research.
• The process involved literature reviews, expert consensus, and external review by national and international experts.
• This marks the first comprehensive document addressing sepsis prevention and care in Belgium.

Conclusions:

• The developed National Sepsis Action Plan provides a foundation for reducing sepsis incidence and mortality in Belgium.
• Implementation of the plan, including establishing an implementation team and detailed plan, is the critical next step.
• The plan aims to improve sepsis care across community and healthcare settings.