@article{Honeyford:2026:10.3310/GJCC0605,
author = {Honeyford, K and Cooke, G and Kinderler, A and Welch, J and Brent, A and Glampson, B and Tonkin-Crine, S and Lazzarino, R and Patil, S and Ghazal, P and Goodman, P and Daniels, R and Gordon, A and Costelloe, C},
doi = {10.3310/GJCC0605},
journal = {Health Soc Care Deliv Res},
pages = {1--23},
title = {Digital alerting to improve sepsis detection and patient outcomes in NHS Trusts: a multi-methods study.},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.3310/GJCC0605},
volume = {14},
year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
AB  - BACKGROUND: Identifying clinical deterioration is a global health priority. Sepsis is a leading cause of deterioration, responsible for around 46,000 deaths annually in the United Kingdom. Early warning scores based on patients' vital signs can be embedded into electronic patient records to digitally alert clinicians to those at risk. Rapid identification and treatment - particularly with targeted intravenous antibiotics - are critical to improving outcomes in sepsis patients. RESEARCH QUESTION: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of digital alerts in improving outcomes for patients with sepsis. Using routine electronic patient record data from four United Kingdom National Health Service acute trusts, we investigated how digital alert systems influence patient outcomes and explored mechanisms and mediators of their effectiveness. OBJECTIVES: Map the types of digital alerts currently in use across United Kingdom hospitals for identifying patients at risk of sepsis (Workstream 1). Evaluate the impact of digital alerts on patient outcomes (Workstream 2). Examine how the implementation process affects alert performance, guided by the consolidated framework for implementation research (Workstream 3). Provide recommendations on alert effectiveness and implementation strategies using systems modelling and mediation analysis (Workstream 4). METHODS: A mixed-methods approach was employed. A national survey assessed the use of digital sepsis alerts in English National Health Survey hospitals (Workstream 1). Qualitative interviews and focus groups explored the implementation process and its influence on alert performance (Workstream 3). A natural experiment with multilevel interrupted time series analysis examined the impact of sepsis screening tools and digital alerts on outcomes, primarily in-hospital mortality (Workstream 2). Routinely collected clinical data were processed following National Institute for Health Research-Health Information Collaborative standard
AU  - Honeyford,K
AU  - Cooke,G
AU  - Kinderler,A
AU  - Welch,J
AU  - Brent,A
AU  - Glampson,B
AU  - Tonkin-Crine,S
AU  - Lazzarino,R
AU  - Patil,S
AU  - Ghazal,P
AU  - Goodman,P
AU  - Daniels,R
AU  - Gordon,A
AU  - Costelloe,C
DO  - 10.3310/GJCC0605
EP  - 23
PY  - 2026///
SP  - 1
TI  - Digital alerting to improve sepsis detection and patient outcomes in NHS Trusts: a multi-methods study.
T2  - Health Soc Care Deliv Res
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3310/GJCC0605
UR  - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/41773349
VL  - 14
ER  - 

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