Legislation proposes steps for early identification of sepsis

Posted on May 11, 2016

Hospitals would be required to take earlier steps to identify sepsis under legislation moving through the Illinois House. (WJBC file photo)

By Greg Halbleib

A bill requiring hospitals to take extra steps to identify sepsis is on its way to the full Illinois House.

Gabby’s Law is named in memory of five-year-old Gabby Galbo of Monticello, who died in 2012 from who died in 2012 of sepsis and septic shock after Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever was not diagnosed early..

Sepsis progressively shuts down the body’s systems and organs due to infection. The Centers for Disease Control report more than one million cases occur every year.

Gabby’s father Tony Galbo hopes the measure will reduce tragedies such as those his family went through.

“Is is going to wipe it out? I don’t know,” said Galbo. “But 258,000 people die every year. It’s underreported and undiagnosed. A lot of pathologists don’t know exactly what to look for because there are many complications. The message needs to be spread.”

The bill is sponsored by State Representative Bill Mitchell and makes its way through the full House after passing the Senate.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].

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