Table 1

General

· Is there an association between delay from symptom onset until start of treatment and outcome?

Yes, however data with regard to the value of pre hospital treatment with antibiotics are controversial

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30

patient's perspective

· What is the patient decision time?

n/a

· Can we define factors associated with prehospital delay?

n/a

· Why do patients with sepsis wait before deciding to go to hospital?

n/a

bystander's perspective

· What are their thoughts and feelings?

n/a

· Which action do they take and why?

n/a

· Can we identify bystanders of high-risk patients?

n/a

dispatcher's perspective

· What signs and symptoms appear to the dispatchers by telephone in sepsis?

n/a

· How often do the dispatchers suspect sepsis?

n/a

· Can a decision support system improve the accuracy of their prioritization?

n/a

The EMS perspective

· How often do patients with sepsis use the EMS?

In 50 – 60%

32, 33, 34

· How often do the EMS staffs suspect sepsis?

In 20 – 50%

32, 36

· Is it possible to improve the EMS staffs’ accuracy in detecting sepsis?

(1) Limited knowledge among EMS staff

38

(2) Biochemical markers might improve outcome

39