AI tool to flag sepsis risk in Western Sydney emergency rooms

An artificial intelligence model designed to identify patients at risk of sepsis while they wait for emergency care will be tested across five Western Sydney hospitals following promising early work at Westmead Hospital.

The SAFE-WAIT system assesses patients in near real time, helping clinicians identify those whose condition may be deteriorating before the usual signs of sepsis become apparent.

Project lead Dr Gladis Kabil said the technology was intended to support clinical judgement in busy emergency departments.

“The model is trying to help the clinician to see, in a crowded waiting room, those who might be quietly developing sepsis,” Kabil said.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by the body’s extreme response to an infection, which can damage organs and become fatal without prompt treatment.