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Sagitta FAQ

General Sagitta Questions

Does Sagitta overrule our clinician’s judgment?

What if a patient is not septic based on our clinical judgment?

Sagitta defers to the clinician and clinical judgment. Sagitta is also completely customizable; if a patient is deemed as non-septic based on chronic changes, those changes can be edited to have Sagitta screen based on other changes or set the threshold for those anomalies at a different tolerance.

What if we have problems using Sagitta’s interface?

Luminare offers 24/7 support via email at support@luminaremed.com.

Is this an automated system?

Yes, all vital signs and labs are imported from the EMR to prevent duplication of work for the provider. This ensures a rapid screening process that is easy-to-use and efficient.

Sagitta only requires clinical input from bedside providers to increase specificity of sepsis screening.

Will this increase our providers’ workload?

No. Sagitta is designed to prevent the decompensation of patients with sepsis. Patients with undiagnosed sepsis decompensate rapidly and require multiple nurses and advanced level providers for stabilization. This takes more time and personnel than screening the patient for sepsis.

Sagitta integrates directly into the usual bedside assessment of every patient without adding “one more thing to do.” Sagitta is designed to save time in coordinating care and decrease the burden of patient assessment while accomplishing the goal of accurate, rapid sepsis screening.

Our patient population is unique because we care for certain clinical conditions; can we customize Sagitta to the needs of our facility?

Sagitta was developed out of the need for tertiary, acute-care patients at the largest medical centers, and, at the heart of its design, takes into consideration common problems such as alert fatigue, high false-positive rates, and particularly unique population requirements. Screening parameters, thresholds, and their usage are customizable for a hospital, groups of hospitals, and even for individual patients. Screening parameters and thresholds are automatically adjusted for known conditions like ESLD and ESRD.

How do you integrate with the workflow in our hospital?

Sagitta is created by doctors and clinicians. Its role is to fit directly into the normal workflow of practitioners. There is no need for additional rounding, additional sign-outs, or even a change in the assessment of the patient. No additional care plans are needed. Sagitta can push documents to your EMR. This data can be placed in the patient’s medical record, just like a CT scan report or EKG report would be documented.

Sagitta Workflow & Screening Questions

What do I do if my patient screens positive for sepsis?

You will be prompted to complete the checklist, which includes notifying the attending MD or PA and confirming if the patient is on antibiotics. Once this is submitted and recorded in Sagitta, you will follow the sepsis protocol at your site depending on the clinical decisions made by the MD or PA.

What if I disagree with Sagitta?

Sagitta defers to the clinician completely. Sagitta offers decision-support for sepsis, using evidence-based, cutting-edge guidelines to help your clinicians apply their judgement in a rapid and efficient manner. It is not a tool to help bring sepsis workflow into one place, and your clinical judgement is paramount.

What if the attending MD or PA disagrees with Sagitta?

Record the reasoning of the attending in Sagitta so it can be reviewed by the Medical Executive Committee, if needed.

What if the values that are auto populated in Sagitta aren’t correct?

You can override and remove values by clicking on the square where the value is present. This will reset the value, and you can then select the appropriate category.

Can I edit parameters to make Sagitta more sensitive to specific patient differences?

Yes, if ordered and approved by an MD, you can alter the ranges for every contributing factor and/or “mute” factors that will not be considered. Once you have received the MD approval, simply click on the patient and select “modify parameters,” then make the approved changes. You then proceed to screen the patient normally, and Sagitta will show a color change on modified or muted factors.

Do I need to screen every patient for sepsis?

Yes, unless otherwise specified and approved by the attending MD or PA. If a patient is muted, you do not need to screen them for the specified timeframe.

When should I use Sagitta?

Best practices dictate you should use Sagitta towards the beginning of your shift as part of your patient assessment.

What if my patient’s status changes during my shift?

You can re-screen a patient as many times as you deem clinically necessary. Best practices dictate you would re-screen a patient if you see acute changes, including new altered mental status, new elevated white count, etc.

What if I am unsure about values to report in Sagitta?

Think about handoff to the next nurse. For example, if your patient had a fever, but it resolved with Tylenol, you would still want to report this information at handoff. If your patient is not currently febrile but had been, best practices dictate you should select “high temperature” in Sagitta as part of the patient screening.

Sagitta featured in EPIC's Interoperability Showcase at HIMSS 2021

Is Sagitta right for me?

Sagitta FAQ