Compliance with evidence-based guidelines for severe sepsis and septic shock management has been shown to be low, which has been attributed to factors such as delayed recognition [3]. Thus, a number of international campaigns (e.g., Surviving Sepsis Campaign, World Sepsis Day) have been launched to raise awareness, improve the care of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock, and emphasize early identification and intervention, which have been shown to reduce mortality [4,5]. Furthermore, the 2012 Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines recommended routine screening for severe sepsis to allow earlier implementation of therapy and stated that the “key to achieving a reduction in mortality from severe sepsis is not just standardized evidence-based treatment, but equally important, the early recognition of sepsis” [6].