Sepsis in General Practice: experience and attitudes regarding Early Warning Scores

Area of Science:

• General Practice
• Sepsis Management
• Clinical Decision Support

Background:

• General Practitioners (GPs) are primary points of contact for unwell patients.
• Early Warning Scores (EWS) aid in detecting patient deterioration.
• The role of EWS in general practice requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore GP knowledge and experience with sepsis.
• To assess GP attitudes toward implementing EWS tools in primary care.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study design.
• Theoretical Domains Framework utilized.
• Semi-structured interviews conducted with eight GPs in the Republic of Ireland.

Main Results:

• GPs demonstrated knowledge of sepsis and EWS.
• Participants using EWS found it beneficial for clinical decision-making.
• Mixed attitudes regarding EWS implementation in primary care were observed.

Conclusions:

• GPs have sepsis knowledge; some use informal risk assessment tools.
• No EWS is currently validated for primary care use.
• Research is needed to explore EWS utility in primary care settings.