1894. Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Intensive Care Unit: Survey of Critical Care and Infectious Diseases Physicians

Abstract

BackgroundOne aim of antimicrobial stewardship programs is to combat climbing rates of antibiotic resistance. Typically coordinated by Infectious Diseases (ID) physicians, such programs have decreased costs, resistance rates and secondary infections. A point of contention is whether ID or Critical Care (CC) physicians should manage the antibiotics prescribed to critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). We surveyed ID and CC physicians regarding their perspectives on ICU antimicrobial stewardship and collaborations.MethodsIn 2017, CC and ID fellows and attendings completed an online survey that included 17 Likert-scaled items (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree) measuring views on ICU antibiotic stewardship. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used for data reduction. Multivariable linear regression models explored variables associated with outcomes measuring physicians’ views on which specialty should guide antibiotic stewardship and the value of clinical collaborations in the ICU.ResultsOf 334 physicians, 71% were attendings (vs. fellows) and 61% were ID (vs. CC) specialists. From the PCA, 3 factors emerged measuring views about: (1) the specialty that should serve as ICU antibiotic stewards (Cronbach’s α = 0.71; higher scores indicate ID physicians should be stewards); (2) ICU clinical collaborations (α = 0.60; higher scores indicate greater value of collaboration); and (3) ICU decision-making insecurity (α = 0.45; higher scores indicate greater insecurity). In the regression models (n = 309), CC physicians and those placing lower value on ICU collaborations reported greater agreement that ID physicians should be the primary ICU stewards; women and physicians reporting greater ICU decision-making insecurity and less agreement that ID physicians should be ICU antibiotic stewards reported greater value of clinical collaborations.ConclusionCC physicians favor ID specialists to assume ICU antibiotic stewardship.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.