Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs Research Articles

An Update From the National Healthcare Safety Network on Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs in the United States, 2014-2021.

In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs (ASPs) and began monitoring uptake through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Annual Hospital Survey. In 2019, CDC updated the Core Elements and in 2022 released the Priorities for Hospital Core Element Implementation. We describe Core Element uptake from 2014 to 2021, provide a snapshot of specific ASP practices in acute care hospitals in 2021, and describe how we plan to monitor stewardship moving forward. We used the NHSN Annual Hospital Survey to summarize facility demographics and ASP practices and to monitor uptake of Core Elements. Questions have been updated over time, so not all data could be compared across years. Uptake of all 7 Core Elements increased from 41% in 2014 to 95% in 2021. Uptake of all 6 Priority Elements was 10% in 2021, though 46% of hospitals met 4 or 5 of the possible 6 elements. Antibiotic stewardship was specifically listed in a contract or job description for about 60% of program leaders. The percentage of physician-pharmacist co-led programs rose from 23% to 64%. Seventy-six percent of hospitals reported implementing audit with feedback interventions. With nearly all acute care hospitals reporting uptake of the 7 Core Elements in 2021, and with more evidence for which ASP practices are most effective, the Priorities for Hospital Core Element Implementation were released in 2022 to help enhance the quality and impact of existing ASPs.

1254. DoD Adherence to CDC Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs

Abstract Background In response to the 2014 Executive Order on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released “Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs” in 2014 and updated it in 2019. In 2017, the Department of Defense (DoD) required hospitals to establish antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) that include CDC Core Elements (CEs). DoD ASPs are often evaluated at the facility level but have not yet been assessed system-wide. This study aims to analyze DoD ASPs as an enterprise to inform future quality improvement. Methods Data from the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) hospital annual survey, which includes self-reported responses about facility characteristics and various hospital programs (including ASPs), were analyzed in Stata/IC 16.1. A framework analysis was conducted to determine how ASPs are structured, using CDC CEs as a guide. DoD adherence for each individual and all CEs was compared to national data for 2017-2021 and averaged over the same time frame. Adherence was measured using CDC methodology: a positive response to > 1 question within a CE was categorized as that CE being met. Results From 2017-2021, between 4,940 and 5,053 hospitals responded to the NHSN annual survey, including 46 to 48 DoD hospitals (1.0% of reporting facilities). Reporting facility participation varies year-to-year, but average percent CE adherence nationally and for the DoD showed education, reporting, and tracking had the lowest adherence (Table 1; Figure 1). DoD differed from national adherence for the CEs of education (-1.9%) and action and tracking (-1.3%). All CEs were met for 82.7% of DoD hospitals compared to 87.2% of hospitals nationally. Conclusion National and DoD CEs adherence levels both showed the largest 2017-2021 average deficiencies in education, followed by tracking and reporting. Differences between national and DoD adherence levels were observed for several CEs. The DoD sample size is small and adherence was variable. However, these findings suggest that the CEs where DoD lags national adherence - education, action, and tracking - present opportunities for the DoD to improve its ASPs. A similar comparison with national adherence percentages may also prove useful for other health systems to undertake. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

1302. Interactive Case-based Antimicrobial Stewardship Education Program to Pharmacists at a Large Community Health System

Abstract Background Education on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is one of the several elements outlined by the Center for Disease Control for hospital antibiotic stewardship programs. However, the Infectious Diseases Society of America guideline on implementing antimicrobial stewardship notes that passive education should not be a sole method for training as the effects are often short lived. AMS education strategies beyond didactic lectures and written material distribution are needed. We sought to describe the implementation of an interactive, case-based AMS educational program targeting pharmacists across a multi-hospital community health system licensed for over 1,500 beds. Methods Each month, a custom patient case was drafted by an infectious diseases trained pharmacist to highlight a common AMS principle encountered in practice. These topics were broadly categorized into appropriate empiric antibiotic selection, treatment plan modification, and identification of non-infectious clinical syndromes. A specific question with multiple choice answers was drafted. The case was disseminated to all hospital pharmacists via email using Microsoft Outlook. Pharmacists were prompted to use the voting buttons to select the correct answer (Figure 1). After a week, results of the survey was shared with the entire pharmacist staff along with information on the primary teaching point and detailed explanations for why each answer was correct or incorrect. Example Voting Buttons for Case-Based Education Results A total of eleven AMS cases were disseminated to 88 hospital pharmacists involved with direct patient care. Average number of responses per case was 27 (31%), range 17-41 (19%-47%). Average number of correct responses for each case was 74%, range 26%-100%. The highest rates of correct responses came from cases focusing on empiric antibiotic selection (87%), followed by identification of non-infectious clinical syndromes (73%). The lowest rate of correct responses were found with treatment plan modification cases (65%). Conclusion This case-based AMS education program leveraged existing technology to provide engagement across a large and geographically diverse pharmacist staff, provide opportunity to apply stewardship concepts, and assess staff pharmacist knowledge on general AMS principles. Disclosures Matthew Song, PharmD, BCIDP, Merck: Stocks/Bonds|ObsEva: Stocks/Bonds.

Patient expectations do matter - experimental evidence on antibiotic prescribing decisions

Abstract Inappropriate prescription of antibiotics remains a major contributor to the global antimicrobial resistance crisis despite clear linkages between antibiotic utilization and resistance spread. This study aims to better understand the simultaneous and independent effect of previous prescription behavior, patient expectation, and clinical uncertainty on antibiotic prescribing. This discrete choice experiment was embedded within a routine organizational climate survey administered to all physicians working in the Tuscany healthcare system administered between Nov 11 and Nov 20, 2019 (Qualtrics). Participants were provided with a patient encounter vignette and subsequently asked to in which of two alternatives they were more likely to prescribe antibiotics. The two alternatives varied in levels of clinical uncertainty, patient expectations, and the physician’s past behavior. We fitted a conditional logistic regression model. Respondents included 1,436 hospital-based physicians, of which 52% were female, 78% practiced in a general hospital setting, and 33% were between the ages of 50 and 59. Results show that the odds of prescribing antibiotics decrease when a patient requests it (OR = 0.80, 95%CI [0.72,0.89]) and increase when the physician has prescribed antibiotics to a patient under similar circumstances previously (OR = 1.15, 95%CI [1.03,1.27]). We found no significant effect of clinical uncertainty on the odds of prescribing antibiotics (OR = 0.96, 95%CI [0.87, 1.07]). We show that patient expectation has a significant negative association with antibiotic prescribing among hospital-based physicians. Our findings inform the design of antibiotic stewardship programs in Tuscany and highlight the importance of cultural context in shaping the physician’s disposition when confronted with patient expectations. We suggest shared decision-making to improve prudent prescribing without compromising on patient satisfaction. Key messages • Health administrators should address patient expectations when designing hospital antibiotic stewardship programs. • Physicians’ past prescribing behaviour influences antibiotic prescribing decisions and should be considered during intervention design.

A call to action for anticoagulation stewardship

A call to action for anticoagulation stewardship

Practical checklist for implementation of antifungal stewardship programmes.

Introduction. Antifungal stewardship programmes are needed in healthcare facilities to limit the overuse or misuse of antifungals, which are responsible for an increase in antifungal resistance.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. Core recommendations for antifungal stewardship were published by the Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided a Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs checklist. The recommendations offer global core elements for best practices in antifungal stewardship, but do not provide a framework for the implementation of antifungal stewardship programmes in healthcare facilities.Aim. In line with the recommendations, it is of the utmost importance to establish a practical checklist that may be used to implement antifungal stewardship programmes.Methodology. The practical checklist was established by a national consensus panel of experts involved in antifungal stewardship activities. A preliminary checklist was sent to all experts. The final document was approved by the panel after discussion and the resolution of any disagreements by consensus.Results. The final checklist includes the following items: leadership support; actions to support optimal antifungal use; actions to monitor antifungal prescribing, use and resistance; and an education programme.Conclusion. This antifungal stewardship checklist offers opportunities for antifungal resistance containment, given that antifungal stewardship activities promote the optimal use of antifungals.

National Healthcare Safety Network 2018 Baseline Neonatal Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratios.

The microbiologic etiologies, clinical manifestations, and antimicrobial treatment of neonatal infections differ substantially from infections in adult and pediatric patient populations. In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed neonatal-specific (Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratios SAARs), a set of risk-adjusted antimicrobial use metrics that hospitals participating in the National Healthcare Safety Network's (NHSN's) antimicrobial use surveillance can use in their antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with the Vermont Oxford Network, identified eligible patient care locations, defined SAAR agent categories, and implemented neonatal-specific NHSN Annual Hospital Survey questions to gather hospital-level data necessary for risk adjustment. SAAR predictive models were developed using 2018 data reported to NHSN from eligible neonatal units. The 2018 baseline neonatal SAAR models were developed for 7 SAAR antimicrobial agent categories using data reported from 324 neonatal units in 304 unique hospitals. Final models were used to calculate predicted antimicrobial days, the SAAR denominator, for level II neonatal special care nurseries and level II/III, III, and IV NICUs. NHSN's initial set of neonatal SAARs provides a way for hospital ASPs to assess whether antimicrobial agents in their facility are used at significantly higher or lower rates compared with a national baseline or whether an individual SAAR value is above or below a specific percentile on a given SAAR distribution, which can prompt investigations into prescribing practices and inform ASP interventions.

Assessment of Adherence to the Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs: A Survey of the Tertiary Care Hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan.

Background: To restrain antibiotic resistance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States of America, urges all hospital settings to implement the Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs (CEHASP). However, the concept of hospital-based antibiotic stewardship programs is relatively new in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Aim: To appraise the adherence of the tertiary care hospitals to seven CEHASPs. Design and Setting: A cross-sectional study in the tertiary care hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan. Method: CEHASP assessment tool, (a checklist) was used to collect data from the eligible hospitals based on purposive sampling. The check list had 19 statements to cover seven CEHASPs: Hospital Leadership Commitment, Accountability, Pharmacy Expertise, Action (Implement Interventions to Improve Antibiotic Use), Tracking Antibiotic Use and Outcomes, Reporting Antibiotic Use and Outcomes, and Education. For each statement, a response of “YES”, “NO” or “Under Process” constituted a score of 2, 0 and 1, respectively, where the higher the scores the better the adherence. Categorical variables were described through descriptive statistics, while independent t-test computed group differences. Result: A total of 68 hospitals (n = 33 public, n = 35 private) participated with a response rate of 79.1%. No hospital demonstrated “Perfect” adherence. Roughly half private (48.6%) and more than half public (54.5%) sector hospitals were “Poor“ in adherence. Based on the mean score, there was no significant difference between the private and the public hospitals in terms of comparison of individual core elements. The two most neglected core elements emerged as top priority area were: Reporting Antibiotic Use and Outcomes and Tracking Antibiotic Use and Outcomes. Conclusion: The current response of Pakistan to implement hospital-based antibiotic stewardship programs is inadequate. This study points out significant gaps of practice both in public and private tertiary care hospitals. A majority of the core elements of antibiotic stewardship are either absent or ”Under Process”. The deficiency/priority areas mentioned require immediate attention of the concerned stakeholders in Pakistan.

Editorial Comment.

No AccessJournal of UrologyAdult Urology1 Jun 2021Editorial CommentThis article comments on the following:Antimicrobial Prophylaxis in Transurethral Resection of the Prostate: Results of a Randomized Trial Roger Dmochowski Roger DmochowskiRoger Dmochowski Departments of Urology, Surgery and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000001638.02AboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail "Editorial Comment." The Journal of Urology, 205(6), pp. 1753–1754 Reference 1. Centers for Disease Cotrol and Prevention: Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs. Atlanta, Georgia: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC 2014. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/core-elements/hospital.html. Google Scholar © 2021 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsRelated articlesJournal of UrologyFeb 9, 2021, 12:00:00 AMAntimicrobial Prophylaxis in Transurethral Resection of the Prostate: Results of a Randomized Trial Volume 205Issue 6June 2021Page: 1753-1754 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2021 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Roger Dmochowski Departments of Urology, Surgery and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Antimicrobial stewardship solutions with a smart innovative tool

BackgroundAntimicrobial consumption has been increasing lately. Hence, effective strategies are required to control antimicrobial use and decrease the development of antimicrobial resistance. ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of the use of a mobile app on the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) interventions. MethodsThis was a longitudinal study conducted at El-Nile Badrawi Hospital in Cairo, Egypt, on inpatients receiving antimicrobials from January 2018 to December 2019. The study included 2 phases: the preimplementation phase, which included a paper-based ASP developed according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs 2014, and the mobile app phase where the MEDIcare Pro mobile app was developed and used in ASP intervention implementation. The study outcomes were antimicrobial consumption and cost, length of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay, 30-day mortality rate and readmission rate, and detection of drug-related problems (DRPs). ResultsThe mobile app statistically significantly decreased antimicrobial consumption from 75.1 defined daily dose (DDD)/100 bed-days in the preimplementation phase to 64.65 DDD/100 bed-days in the mobile app phase, with a total cost savings of E£1,237,476. There was a significant reduction in the length of ICU stay, with a mean difference of 1.63 days between the 2 phases, but no significance was detected regarding length of hospital stay or readmission rate. There was a statistically significant decrease in mortality rate from 1.17% in the preimplementation phase to 0.83% in the mobile app phase (P = 0.02). The frequency of DRPs detected by pharmacists statistically significantly increased from 0.54/100 bed-days in the preimplementation phase to 3.23/100 bed-days in the mobile app phase. ConclusionThe use of a mobile app was found to be effective, applicable, and usable in guiding health professionals on rational antimicrobial use.

179. Integrating Antibiotic Stewardship Core Elements into Nurse Residency Programs

BackgroundBackground: In the 2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship (AS) Programs, 3 elements outline opportunities for nurse engagement: • Leadership Commitment, securing resources to support AS endeavors, including quality/safety work • Action, identifying new categories of nursing-based interventions • Education, engaging nurses in patient educationNurse Residency Programs (NRPs) enculturate newly licensed nurses (NLNs) into the profession and provide a platform for integrating NLNs into organizational initiatives, including AS.MethodsMethods: To determine if NRPs were an avenue to integrate core elements, nursing leaders committed to using the NRP to engage NLNs in development of unit-based AS projects. Tenured nurses mentored NLNs on evidence-based quality improvement projects with an AS nurse serving as content expert. Over 2 years, 4 cohorts, 2 in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and 2 in Cardiology, applied a Lean problem-solving approach (A3) to identify and implement nurse-led AS projects.ResultsResults: Four A3s were completed; data collection varied by group (Figure 1). Year 1, PICU developed a handoff tool, and improved frequency of nurse to nurse communication regarding the indication, duration, and day of therapy for prescribed antibiotics. Year 2, PICU developed a tool to increase parent education encounters; frequency of interactions did not change. Year 1, Cardiology implemented educational initiatives; increased awareness of nurses’ role in AS (Figure 2). Year 2, Cardiology piloted a handoff tool to promote AS; nurse communication increased. In total, 4 NLN projects were presented to leaders and clinical staff exposing 18 NLNs, 6 tenured nurses, and over 400 clinical nurses to AS. Each cohort expressed challenges integrating AS into established processes during debriefing.Figure 1: Cohort Overview Figure 2: Example of Nursing-Driven A3 ConclusionConclusions: Commitment by unit-leaders is crucial to mitigate challenges during the development of nurse-driven projects. NRPs serve as a central location to reach a large subset of nurses and shows potential for facilitating nursing-based AS interventions. Elements were integrated, through challenges remain with maintaining a standard data collection process and analysis within and across NLN cohorts.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

The Impact of a Best-Practice Advisory on Inpatient Use of Piperacillin-Tazobactam

Background: Antibiotic “time outs” have been identified as a way to decrease inappropriate use of antibiotics in hospitals.1 The University of Vermont Medical Center created a best-practice advisory (BPA) to alert clinicians to review piperacillin-tazobactam prescriptions after 72 hours (Fig. 1). Data examining the use of a BPA as a method to prompt clinicians to perform an antibiotic “time out” are limited. Objective: The purpose of our retrospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the BPA on the rate of piperacillin-tazobactam prescribing as measured by defined daily dose per 1,000 patient days (DDD). Methods: The BPA was integrated into the electronic health record and designed to activate once piperacillin-tazobactam has been prescribed for ≥72 hours. Under approval of the University of Vermont’s Institutional Review Board, administered data for piperacillin-tazobactam and 3 control antibiotics (cefazolin, ceftriaxone, and meropenem) were collected for 1 year prior to and 1 year following the launch of the BPA. Administered data were converted to DDD, and an interrupted time-series analysis was performed to evaluate for changes in antibiotic use. Results: The data included 7,094 patients in the preintervention group and 6,661 patients in the postintervention group. The BPA fired 1,478 times. The prescribing rate of piperacillin-tazobactam 1 year prior to the BPA was 32.34 DDD and decreased every month both before (−1.22 DDD) and after (−0.27 DDD) the BPA initiation, with no significant difference in prescribing trends (P = .10). Meropenem prescribing in the BPA era increased each month compared to the pre-BPA period (1.16 DDD; P = 0.02), whereas cefazolin use (P = .93) and ceftriaxone (P = .09) use did not significantly change. Conclusions: The data show that piperacillin-tazobactam utilization at our institution is decreasing. Considering that this trend started prior to the launch of the BPA and that rate of decline remained unchanged post-BPA, we conclude that the BPA did not further impact our piperacillin-tazobactam consumption. It is possible that other factors influencing prescribing account for the observed decline, including an institution-wide educational campaign regarding the appropriate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics that was initiated in the months prior to the BPA. The reason for the significant rise in meropenem post-BPA is unclear. This may be unrelated to the BPA; however, it requires further investigation.1. Core elements of hospital antibiotic stewardship programs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/antibioticuse/healthcare/implementation/core-elements.html. Updated July 19, 2019. Accessed October 6, 2019.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Measuring Implementation of Antibiotic Stewardship in Critical Access Hospitals Using the NHSN Annual Facility Survey

Background: Critical access hospitals (CAHs) serving rural communities have numerous limitations regarding resources, infrastructure, and staffing to support antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) and related quality improvement activities. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) established the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) to provide CAHs with specialized technical assistance in quality improvement data collection and reporting to drive improvements in the quality of care and to reduce barriers to establishing ASPs. In 2016, FORHP developed an antibiotic stewardship process measure in partnership with the CDC to assess progress on implementing ASPs and to optimize hospital quality improvement practices related to antibiotic use. This is the first measure to be successfully implemented and reported at a national level to improve the judicious use of antibiotics in hospitals. Methods: A process measure was developed to assess adherence to the 7 core elements of a successful hospital ASP (ie, leadership, accountability, drug expertise, action, tracking, reporting, and education), as defined by CDC guidelines. Implementation was accomplished through CAH participation in the NHSN Annual Facility Survey (AFS). Responses were analyzed to assess fidelity to each core element, to identify trends, and to benchmark measure reporting among 1,350 CAHs across the United States. Responses were mapped to 7 core element categories, and the total number of positive responses were matched to each core element for a specific survey year to track progress. Overall, the measure assessed progress in meeting all 7 core elements, as well as program robustness in the number of actions implemented and the amount of data tracked and reported at each hospital. NHSN reports were generated to tailor technical assistance activities and to assist hospitals with measure uptake and reporting. Results: CAH participation in the NHSN significantly increased from 2014 to 2018 (83% response rate). From 2014 through 2018, reporting of the new antibiotic stewardship measure consistently increased. CAHs that met all core elements increased from 18% (2014) to 73% (2018). Performance-based benchmarks enabled hospital comparisons and the establishment of reporting goals. Conclusions: This study highlights viable approaches to measuring antibiotic stewardship at a national level to drive improvements in care at hospitals of any size. The implementation of the antibiotic stewardship measure across CAHs demonstrates the impact of federal programs like MBQIP for hospitals that are building capacity for quality improvement. For the first time, CAHs were able to measure and compare their implementation of ASPs to other hospitals at the state and national level.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Antibiotic resistance: How to prevent the next public health emergency

Antibiotics are a vital component of global health. By killing or inhibiting the growth of bacteria, antibiotics treat infections like pneumonia, staph, and tuberculosis. By preventing infections, they enable major medical procedures such as surgeries and chemotherapy. However, bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to current antibiotics, causing an estimated 34,000 deaths annually in the US. Left unchecked, antibiotic resistance will have major public health consequences, causing over 5 million deaths each year by 2050. Major causes of this crisis are the misuse of existing antibiotics and the slow development of new antibiotics. To incentivize responsible use, governments and institutions are initiating education programs, mandating comprehensive hospital antibiotic stewardship programs, and funding the development of rapid diagnostics. To bring new antibiotic drugs to market, the US government and other non-governmental organizations are funding scientific research toward antibiotic development. Additional incentives are being pursued to improve the commercial viability of antibiotic development and protect drug developers from the unique challenges of the antibiotic market. With diligent efforts to improve responsible use and encourage novel antibiotic drug discovery, we can decrease the global disease burden, save money, and save lives.

High carriage rates of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing enterobacteriaceae in children at admission into paediatric wards of a university teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.

Bowel carriage has been identified as the main reservoir of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) and hospital-acquired infections. There are gaps in the knowledge of trends of these rates, which need to be filled for the development and implementation of hospital surveillance systems and antibiotic stewardship programmes in Nigeria. This study investigated the carriage rates of ESBL-PE among 273 children admitted to the paediatric wards of a university teaching hospital, Nigeria, using a prospective cohort study design over a 6-month period. The study explored the role of new and transferred patients in introducing resistant strains of ESBLs into paediatric wards and how quickly paediatric patients that were previously free of resistant strains acquired these within the hospital environment. E-swabs (Copan Diagnostics, Italy) were used to obtain rectal samples from participants. Positive colonies were Gram stained and subcultured onto purity plates for further identification, and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of identified ESBL-PE was obtained using a range of antibiotics. Data were analysed using SPSS statistics 20 (IBM SPSS Statistics, version 20). Statistical significance was determined using the Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. A logistic regression analysis was also conducted to identify independent risk factors for colonisation. The findings showed that transferred patients contributed to the introduction of ESBLs into the hospital. Independent multivariate risk factors for colonisation of ESBL-PE were age >10-14 years, instrumentation (odds ratio [OR]: 0.2 [P < 0.05]) and sharing of thermometers (OR: 0.11 [P < 0.05]). The carriage rate of ESBL-PE is high (25.3%) among children, and none-carriers may become colonised within 14 days of hospitalisation.

Clinical Nurse Preparation and Partnership in Antibiotic Stewardship Programs: National Survey Findings Are a Call to Action for Nurse Leaders.

Describe clinical nurse involvement in antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs). The extent to which clinical nurses are supported and integrated into ASPs is unknown. Electronic survey of infection preventionists (IPs) working in acute care hospitals. A total of 207 IPs nationwide reported on clinical nurses' involvement in their hospital's ASP. Among respondents, 42% reported the presence of a designated nurse executive that championed nurses' involvement in ASPs; 33% reported that the hospital provides antibiotic stewardship education and training to clinical nurses, and only 14% believed that clinical nurses have adequate stewardship knowledge to participate in ASP activities. Study findings indicate the need for nurse leaders to improve the preparation and integration of clinical nurses in ASPs. While clinical nurses routinely perform activities that contribute to optimal antibiotic use, the knowledge and competency of clinical nurses in these activities and their formal integration in ASPs are minimal.

Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs - Qualitative analysis of numerous hospitals in a developing country

SummaryAntimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) are an essential practice to prevent increasing resistance against antibiotics. A successful ASP monitors not only prescribing patterns and practices but also contributes in minimizing the toxic effects of antibiotics. Moreover, ASP also facilitates the selection of disease specific antibiotics and enforces rules and regulations to rationalize the use of antibiotics. The aim of the study is to highlight the core elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs in Karachi. The key elements proposed by center of disease control (CDC) such as; leadership, accountability, drug expertise, actions to support optimal antibiotic use, tracking (monitoring antibiotic prescribing, use and resistance), reporting information to staff on improving antibiotic use and resistance and education were evaluated on Yes/No scale. The data was collected from 44 hospitals of different categories in Karachi and all the major elements were studied. It was observed that all the hospitals in one setting failed to comply with all the guidelines. It has been concluded that efforts should be made to design ASP at each hospital and implemented through suitable policies and procedures.

1086. Antimicrobial Stewardship: From Bedside to Man’s Best Friend

BackgroundAntimicrobial stewardship plays an integral role in ensuring appropriate antimicrobial use in the inpatient hospital setting and is now required by The Joint Commission. Although it is well established that antimicrobial misuse and overuse has societal and ecological implications, the same regulations do not yet apply to our veterinary and agricultural counterparts.MethodsAt The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC), the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) was created in 2007. A partnership was formed with The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center (OSUVMC) in 2017 and was leveraged through a pre-existing campus-wide One Health initiative. The goal was to develop a comprehensive Veterinary Hospital ASP. “The Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and “The Core Principles of Antibiotic Stewardship in Veterinary Medicine” (American Veterinary Medical Association) were also referenced for guidance.ResultsSpecific initiatives within the OSUVMC ASP were modeled after similar interventions in the OSUWMC including development of antibiotic use guidelines by animal type for commonly encountered infections, antimicrobial utilization tracking, antibiogram creation, and both active and passive surveillance of targeted resistant pathogens. A mobile-friendly website was created to allow providers easy access to these ASP tools. Overall antimicrobial prescriptions decreased 22.4% following the first year of program implementation. Planning is currently underway for an ASP outreach program to local veterinary practices to increase awareness of ASP and improve antimicrobial prescribing. A parallel outreach program with rural Ohio hospitals is underway at OSUWMC.ConclusionA comprehensive veterinary hospital ASP was successfully implemented in collaboration with OSUWMC counterparts using successful human interventions applied in the animal setting. Optimizing antimicrobial use and resistance at both sites will likely prevent resistance transmission between these geographically proximate hospitals. Sharing the details of our approach may benefit other institutions looking to expand their stewardship reach.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

2026. A Current Status of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in Korean Large Hospitals: A Nationwide Survey in 2018

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to examine the current status of antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) in large hospitals in South Korea, identifying problems and hurdles for implementation of proper ASP, and providing a reference for the proposal of ASP policies.MethodsThe questionnaire was designed based on the “Seven Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs” from Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention of the U.S. and modified from the questionnaire of the previous survey on ASP in Korea, 2015. The survey targeted all the hospitals with 500 beds or more in South Korea in 2018. The online-based survey using SurveyMonkey® platform was conducted for 3 weeks from June to July 2018. Only one ASP-associated physician per hospital participated in the survey.ResultsThe response rate to the survey was 88.4% (84/95). The median number of medical personnel participating in ASP was 4 [interquartile range (IQR) 2.25–5], most of which were infectious diseases specialists (median 2, IQR 1–2). Besides, some pediatric infectious diseases specialists, pharmacists, etc. were participating in the ASPs. Only 6.0% (5/84) of hospitals had full-time workers for ASP. Restrictive measures for designated antibiotics was a widely accepted ASP strategy among Korean hospitals (88.1%, 74/84) and the median number of designated antibiotic classes was 16 (IQR 11–19). An 11.9% (10/84) of hospitals introduced monitoring and intervention program against inappropriate antibiotic combination therapy. The proportion of hospitals which had interventions for inappropriate long-term antibiotic use and parenteral to oral conversion strategy were 9.5% (8/84) and 1.2% (1/84), respectively. Lack of time, personnel, and appropriate reward were perceived as the major barriers to establishing ASP in Korean hospitals.ConclusionASP in Korean hospitals were mainly carried out by 1–2 infectious diseases specialists and it heavily depended on restrictive measures for designated antibiotics. Supporting manpower and establishment of the appropriate reward system is necessary for improvement of ASP in Korean hospitals. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

1037. A Pharmacist-Driven 48 Hour Antibiotic Time Out Pilot at a Large Academic Medical Center

BackgroundThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published The Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs in 2014, which recommended that all clinicians perform an antibiotic time out (ATO) after 48 hours. The best methods to operationalize these recommendations remain unclear. Given our information technology barriers, we developed a targeted, pharmacist-driven, 48 hour ATO pilot.MethodsThis pre-post intervention pilot study included hospitalized adults admitted to one of the four wards between 5/1/18 and 6/30/18. Patients who received ≥48 hours of broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics (vancomycin, piperacillin–tazobactam, cefepime, a carbapenem, or a fluoroquinolone) were prospectively identified via TheraDoc (Premier Inc., Charlotte, NC). An infectious diseases (ID) trained pharmacist reviewed patients on a daily basis during June. The primary outcome was days of therapy (DOT), which was assessed with Spearman’s rank-order correlation. All P-values were from 2-sided tests, and results were deemed statistically significant at P < 0.05.ResultsA total of 151 unique patients were identified during the study period. The most common antibiotic indications were skin and soft-tissue infection (31.1%), urinary tract infection (22.5%), and intraabdominal infection (22.5%). An ID physician was consulted on 59% of patients. The pharmacist reviewed an average of 7 patients (3 unique) each day during the intervention month. A total of 27 recommendations were made with 15 (56%) being accepted. The most common recommendations were to de-escalate therapy (n = 8), stop antibiotics (n = 6), and add a stop date to the antibiotic order (n = 4). DOT in the pre- and post-intervention period did not differ (P = 0.28).ConclusionA month-long, targeted, pharmacist-driven, 48 hour ATO pilot was unable to demonstrate a reduction in DOT. Furthermore, only 56% of pharmacist recommendations were accepted despite targeting low-acuity infections, which may have limited our ability to observe a reduction in DOT. Larger studies are warranted to further evaluate how ATOs influence DOT over time.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.