Sepsis protocols; requiring certain payors to use specified clinical criteria; effective date.

HB 1686 requires Oklahoma hospitals to establish and update evidence-based protocols for the early identification and treatment of sepsis and septic shock. These protocols must include provisions for screening, identifying appropriate patients for treatment, treatment guidelines, population-specific variations, and staff training. Additionally, the bill mandates that certain third-party payors and health benefit plans, including those contracting for Medicaid services, use specific clinical criteria for sepsis diagnosis. These criteria require a provider's diagnosis with a suspected infection and at least two symptoms of inflammatory response, such as elevated body temperature or heart rate. The bill aims to standardize sepsis identification and treatment practices, becoming effective November 1, 2025.