# A Geographic Approach to Determining the Preventable Causes of US Sepsis Mortality

> **NIH AHRQ K08** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $150,228

## Abstract

Abstract
This AHRQ K08 project employs big data strategies and geographic information system (GIS) informatics and
analytics to fill critical knowledge gaps in determining the individual and hospital quality factors that influence
sepsis mortality in the US. The training leverages Dr. Jordan Kempker’s Masters of Science and Clinical
Research and KL2 training in Social Epidemiology and R programming for data science. Further training will
develop practical expertise in GIS informatics for merging disparate data for new risk factor discoveries and GIS
analytics to define and account for disease clustering in the determination of individual and systems-based risk
factors for US sepsis deaths. To accomplish this goal Dr. Kempker will take coursework a sequence of semester-
long courses at the Emory Rollins School of Public Health in the application of GIS in public health and an Emory
Faculty Development Course in Health Services Research application. The proposal includes the continued
expert, interdisciplinary mentorship of content-expert Greg S. Martin, MD, MSc from Pulmonary and Critical Care
Medicine; GIS-expert Lance A. Waller, PhD from the Department of Biostatistics; and Social Epidemiologist
Michael R. Kramer, MPH, PhD from Department of Epidemiology. The mentored research has 2 Specific Aims:
1) to characterize the geographic correlations among sepsis deaths and the identified individual risk factors for
sepsis mortality; and 2) to determine the association between hospital quality in sepsis treatment and sepsis
case-fatality at both the hospital- and individual-level. This body of knowledge will build a multilevel
understanding of the risk factors for sepsis mortality in the US and infuse GIS techniques into sepsis health
services research, identifying new opportunities to create large longitudinal cohorts, connect disparate data
sources for new discoveries, account for spatial relationships to improve statistical estimates and create heat
maps that direct allocation of public resources to areas of most need. This trajectory of innovative work will inform
agendas of public agencies such as the National Healthcare Safety Network, the Joint Commission, National
Quality Forum and CMS as well as private sector healthcare systems. It is directly relevant to the impacts of
quality measures on hospital outcomes. Finally, this project will build the foundation for at least one future R01
examining further how these factors mediate socioeconomic disparities in sepsis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9965909
- **Project number:** 5K08HS025240-03
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jordan Anthony Kempker
- **Activity code:** K08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AHRQ
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $150,228
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9965909

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9965909, A Geographic Approach to Determining the Preventable Causes of US Sepsis Mortality (5K08HS025240-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9965909. Licensed CC0.

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