Smart Systems, Saved Lives: Using AI to Identify Deteriorating Sepsis Patients in Adult Critical Care

Sepsis remains one of the leading causes of mortality in adult critical care, representing a dysregulated host response to infection. Despite advances in therapeutics and supportive care, it continues to account for over 31 million deaths annually. Its unpredictable trajectory and variable physiologic presentations make early recognition and timely intervention crucial to improving outcomes. Early warning systems were initially developed to standardize the recognition of physiologic instability and guide early recognition. The Modified Early Warning Score, National Early Warning Score 2, and Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment remain the most frequently used bedside tools for adult deterioration and sepsis.