A new AI prediction model which will assist clinicians to identify sepsis in patients more quickly than traditional tests is benefitting from a share of the Minns Labor Government's $4.9 million investment in high impact research projects.
The SAFE-WAIT project is an artificial intelligence prediction model that helps clinicians quickly identify sepsis in patients within emergency department waiting rooms.
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition which can occur when your body has an extreme response to an infection. Early identification of sepsis is critically important as treatment works best when started as soon as possible.
The SAFE-WAIT project has received almost $500,000 in grant funding as part of the Translational Research Grants Scheme after a successful initial six-month pilot at Westmead Hospital in 2024.
During the pilot, staff identified and treated sepsis more quickly than traditional testing after the model flagged patients at high risk of developing sepsis.
The grant will support the rollout of the model across five hospital EDs including Westmead, Auburn, Blacktown, Mount Druitt, and Nepean Hospitals over two and a half years.
The SAFE-WAIT project, developed by a team of NSW Health clinicians led by emergency physician Associate Professor Dr Amith Shetty, will recommence at the start of 2027, and allows clinicians to use an AI predictive model along with initial ED assessment data entered by a triage nurse.
Working like a traffic light system, the program indicates whether the patient is at low, moderate or high risk of sepsis which assists staff to escalate care as required.
The expanded evaluation will now assess if the model can continue to reliably detect sepsis while operating across different hospital settings.
NSW Health this week brought together key stakeholders and sector leaders at its Artificial Intelligence Forum, to explore the evolving AI landscape and its potential to support the future delivery of healthcare across the state.
The Forum was attended by more than 200 people across a number of sectors including government, healthcare, industry, tertiary education, research and legal, showcasing AI innovation across healthcare, and exploring opportunities, challenges and key learnings from industry and AI leaders.
For more information on the Translational Research Grants Scheme, visit: https://medicalresearch.nsw.gov.au/grants/translational
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
"This World Sepsis Day, we want to highlight the cutting-edge technology being developed right here in NSW by our world class clinicians alongside NSW Health, who have been national leaders in the early recognition and management of sepsis since 2011.
"With sepsis, every minute counts. This investment in AI technology will help clinicians identify it early, improving the safety of patients in ED waiting rooms.
"The SAFE-WAIT program has shown promising results at Westmead Hospital, and we are excited to see it expand to other hospitals.
"The Minns Government is continuing to invest in and deliver innovative solutions to improve the way we deliver healthcare. Artificial intelligence has enormous potential to support clinicians and enhance patient care. We want to lean into these opportunities, where possible."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Medical Research David Harris:
"Sepsis is associated with one in five deaths worldwide, so it is important we continue to develop programs and tools right here is NSW to help save lives.
"Programs like SAFE-WAIT have the potential to improve patient outcomes by helping clinicians identify and treat sepsis earlier, when timely intervention can make the greatest difference.
"The Translational Research Grants Scheme supports the journey from research to real-world care, ensuring promising innovations can be translated into better health outcomes for communities across NSW.
"The Minns Labor Government is supporting NSW clinicians to develop cutting edge AI models that deliver more accurate insights into sepsis diagnoses, accelerating treatment plans resulting in real world impact."
Quotes attributable to Associate Professor Dr Amith Shetty:
"The SAFE-WAIT model is trying to help clinicians see the full picture, identifying sepsis much earlier than traditional methods.
"This tool is designed to support nursing action, particularly where there are patients in a waiting room and there has been no medical reviews undertaken.
"This AI tool enables clinicians to reassess patients where they could have sepsis. Within the pilot we undertook we tracked that on average patients were administered antibiotics 83 minutes earlier than without the model, showing how proactive it is."
