IntelliSep test from Cytovale shows potential to reshape emergency triage protocols and reduce strain on hospital systems

A new study suggests that a rapid host-response diagnostic could significantly reduce sepsis mortality in emergency departments while easing the burden on hospital resources.

The prospective, real-world study — involving more than 12,000 patients over a year — was conducted at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center (OLOLRMC), a 900-bed acute care facility and Level 1 trauma center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Published in Healthcare, the findings support the clinical and operational value of Cytovale’s IntelliSep test, an FDA-cleared tool designed to detect sepsis risk within minutes using a standard blood draw.

According to the researchers, implementation of IntelliSep contributed to:

• A 39% relative reduction in sepsis mortality, with no change in non-sepsis mortality

• A 0.76-day decrease in hospital length of stay for sepsis patients

• A 40% reduction in blood culture use among low-risk patients, and an 8% increase in high-risk cases

Dr. Christopher Thomas, critical care physician and study author, said the findings represent a shift in how EDs can approach early sepsis triage. “With this small operational change, we’re saving more lives and making better use of limited resources,” he noted. “With IntelliSep, we’ve discovered a new way to save lives.”

Sepsis contributes to nearly one in three hospital deaths in the US, but early detection remains challenging. Emergency departments often treat a wide range of patients as potentially septic due to the lack of reliable early indicators — a practice that can result in overuse of antibiotics and unnecessary interventions. The IntelliSep test delivers results in approximately eight minutes, allowing providers to more confidently rule in or out sepsis risk before clinical signs have fully developed.

Study co-author Dr. Hollis O’Neal, Medical Director of Research at OLOLRMC, called the approach “a paradigm shift.” He said the combination of rapid diagnostics and protocol-driven triage is changing outcomes: “We now have the ability to intervene before ICU beds are needed or antibiotics are given — that’s where real transformation happens.”

Following the initial success, the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS) has expanded use of IntelliSep to four additional hospitals. The study authors suggest that broader adoption could not only improve outcomes but also help hospitals manage costs — with sepsis-related care at large facilities estimated to exceed $34 million annually.

“This is more than an innovation; it’s a system-level model for how to improve sepsis care,” said Dr. Thomas.