Dr. Jennifer Chapman is in charge of the Emergency Room at Orange Park Medical Center.
She said since the flu season started last October, they’ve also seen an increase in sepsis.
Doctors showed us a sign used to educate people on sepsis. It shows well-known people who have had it, like Pope John Paul II, Mohammad Ali and Brittany Murphy.
Sepsis is a complication that can result from any infection, not just the flu.
The symptoms include changes in mental status, confusion, difficulty breathing and severe lethargy.
The Orange Park Medical Center said it’s thanks to their efforts in educating patients that they’ve been able to keep mortality rates for sepsis patients below 30 percent.
Now, every patient who gets surgery at the hospital or is treated for an infection gets a one page information sheet called the sepsis self-management plan. The sheet helps people watch for warning signs and lets them know when they need to call a doctor.