Interprofessional Collaboration in the Management of Sepsis: Contributions of Medical Laboratory Specialists, Medical Technologists, Pharmacists, Nurses, and Physiotherapy Technicians – A Literature Review

Abstract

Sepsis is known to be one of the major health threats globally and is a life-threatening condition resulting from hyperactivated host response to an infection that can escalate to multiple organ dysfunction, septic shock and death within a few hours if left untreated. Whilst there has been significant progress in the diagnosis, treatment and critical care of sepsis, this condition remains a major driver of morbidity, mortality, length of hospital stay and increasing health care costs throughout the world. Sepsis has come a long way in the past decade, from a physician-led to a team-based approach including a focus on early identification, standardised clinical pathways, and multidisciplinary team co-ordination. Sepsis guidelines, agreed on by international experts, highlight the importance of early recognition, appropriate laboratory evaluation, early antibiotic treatment, and haemodynamic optimization and support in terms of survival. However, these goals should be accomplished by working in teams and good communication between practitioners from different professions (Delawder & Hulton 2020; Draeger et al 2025) not through individual practice.