AHRQ Partners With Indian Health Service on Sepsis

The federal agencies are launching a new three-year initiative to reduce sepsis mortality rates among Native communities.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Native American

Gouache-painted illustration of a clean, minimalist clinic hallway bathed in soft, warm light, representing a rural healthcare initiative. — The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is partnering with the Indian Health Service to launch a three-year sepsis mortality reduction program. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has formed a new partnership with the Indian Health Service to combat sepsis. This initiative aims to address a critical health disparity where Native people face a significantly higher risk of sepsis-related death.

Why it matters

Many facilities managed by the Indian Health Service are located in remote areas where access to specialized sepsis expertise is limited. By providing targeted resources, the program seeks to close this care gap and improve patient outcomes.

Native people are 1.5 times more likely to die of sepsis than the national average. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has committed $7.5 million to support these efforts over a three-year period.

The players

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

This federal agency is responsible for producing evidence to make health care safer and higher quality.

Indian Health Service

This agency is responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives.

The details

The program centers on developing an educational toolkit for healthcare teams while assessing the impact of these tools at participating sites. These facilities will undergo rigorous monitoring and evaluation to refine clinical approaches to sepsis management.

October 28, 2026: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality announced the partnership.
Three-year period: The duration of the sepsis quality improvement initiative.

Culture Shift

The program follows a pattern set by the Indian Health Service's mandate under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to address long-standing health disparities in Native communities. It reflects a broader movement toward prioritizing equitable healthcare access for historically underserved populations.

Patients served by the Indian Health Service will benefit from improved diagnostic tools and better-trained medical teams. This initiative is designed to standardize life-saving sepsis protocols across rural and remote healthcare environments.

The takeaway

This partnership highlights the importance of tailoring medical resources to meet the unique logistical challenges of rural healthcare settings. Future success for similar programs will depend on the effective integration of these toolkits into daily clinical practice.