EMS Prehospital Blood Culture Collection and Antibiotic Administration: A Two-Phase Pilot Project to Reduce Mortality in Patients With Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock

This study is designed to improve the outcomes for patients suffering from severe sepsis and septic shock (SS/SS) by decreasing the time from first medical contact to antibiotic administration. This is a pilot project. This is a stepwise study that will build on previously published literature to demonstrate the ability of paramedics to accurately obtain blood cultures prior to hospital arrival, administer a broad spectrum antibiotic and initiate IV fluid resuscitation in patients meeting predefined criteria for SS/SS. The primary aim is to take processes that have been developed for use in this patient population during Emergency Department care and to advance these same processes "downrange" to initiate them prior to hospital arrival. Early antibiotic administration has been shown to decrease mortality in a time dependent fashion when implemented in hospitalized patients. The investigators hypothesize that initiating antibiotics prior to hospital arrival will improve morbidity and mortality while also addressing quality metrics that are publicly reported for this patient population.

This pilot study will be conducted in two consecutive phases, responding to the following aims.

Aim 1: Evaluate the feasibility that paramedics can obtain blood cultures from general patients prior to hospital arrival with a contamination rate that is statistically equivalent to that for blood cultures obtained in Emergency Department.

Aim 2 (primary aim): Investigate whether prehospital paramedic initiated broad spectrum antibiotics, administered after blood cultures are obtained, will result in improved mortality rates for patients, when compared to historical controls.