Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship Research Articles

Evolution of Pharmacist Roles in Antimicrobial Stewardship: A 20-Year Systematic Review

IntroductionWhilst pharmacists are recognized as key contributors to antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs, the extent of their participation varies in different countries. We report a systematic review of pharmacists’ roles in AMS over 20 years. MethodsA systematic review of the literature describing pharmacist-led or driven AMS and its outcomes published in English between 01 January 2000 and 30 June 2020 was conducted across the main databases for research publication. ResultsThe analysis included 111 papers, of which 77.5% (86/111) were from high-income countries (HIC) predominantly from the USA. While pharmacist-led or driven AMS interventions were reported only from HICs in the early 2000s, the review found a progressive rise in such studies from all income settings with audit and feedback being the most frequent intervention reported. Between 2016 and 2020, studies on pharmacists-led or driven outpatient AMS and interventions related to beta-lactam or penicillin allergy were reported from HICs. Key outcomes reported include improved appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy and decreased consumption of antimicrobials. ConclusionExisting evidence demonstrates the positive impact of pharmacists’ involvement in AMS. There needs to be a concerted effort in facilitating pharmacists’ roles in AMS across all countries, irrespective of income setting.

Pilot Dissemination of a Realtime, Statewide, Pediatric Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship Dashboard

Pilot Dissemination of a Realtime, Statewide, Pediatric Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship Dashboard

Antimicrobial Stewardship Practices in Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Programs in the United States.

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) regimens typically prioritize ease of antimicrobial administration, tolerability, safety, and accessibility over using the narrowest-spectrum antimicrobial. In light of this, OPAT providers often utilize different techniques to promote antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in their OPAT programs. This study aims to characterize the AMS practices of OPAT programs across the United States that might meet The Joint Commission requirements for outpatient AMS metrics. This is a cross-sectional electronic survey of the Vizient AMS network. A total of 95 possible questions were designed to inquire about demographics, OPAT program structure, AMS initiatives, performance metrics, and resources. Seventy-four survey responses were received, with 58 (78.4%) of the respondents indicating their institution offered OPAT services. Respondents reported having at least 1 AMS protocol and tracking at least 1 metric in 91% and 74% of OPAT programs, respectively. Only 40% of programs reported billing for OPAT-related services. Approximately 45% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that their OPAT program had the resources needed to care for the population it serves. Respondents identified data analytics (69%), funding for expansion of services (67%), and pharmacists (62%) as resources of greatest need for their OPAT programs. This survey collectively describes the AMS practices currently employed by OPAT programs across the United States. The results provide specific examples of AMS initiatives, metrics, and resources that institutions may reference to advance the practices of their OPAT programs to meet The Joint Commission Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship standards.

Evaluation of a Clinical Decision Support System and an Automated Electronic Health Record Alert on Outpatient Prescribing of Cefdinir.

Acute bacterial upper respiratory infections are common indications for antibiotics in pediatrics, and many prescriptions may be inappropriate. Novel approaches to outpatient antimicrobial stewardship interventions are needed. This quasi-experimental study of an order set and best practice advisory alert targeting cefdinir prescriptions demonstrated an 8.4% decrease in cefdinir prescribing (P ≤ .001).

Cracking the code(s): Optimization of encounter-level diagnosis coding to inform outpatient antimicrobial stewardship data modeling.

Cracking the code(s): Optimization of encounter-level diagnosis coding to inform outpatient antimicrobial stewardship data modeling.

1236. Implementation and Impact of a Pharmacist-driven Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in a Costa Rican Private Hospital

Abstract Background Antimicrobial stewardship programs (AMS) have been shown to be beneficial in both inpatient (IP) and outpatient (OP) settings. The CDC set the core elements for OP AMS initiation. In Latin America, progress has been made about AMS, but mainly in the IP. This hospital has an IP AMS that lacks activities dedicated to OP prescriptions. After conducting a baseline characterization of the OP antibiotics (ABs) prescriptions received in the hospital pharmacies, it was identified that ABs were prescribed mostly for urinary tract infections (UTIs). Methods A retrospective observational analysis of the implementation of an OP AMS (Apr.-June 2022) and the impact of this program on the prescribing patterns for the management of OP UTIs. The level of adherence to CDC's core elements was assessed before and after the implementation. The impact in OP UTIs was estimated by comparing prescribing patterns according to the hospital clinical guideline in the emergency ward (ER) preAMS (July 2021-Mar. 2022) and postAMS (July 2022-Dec. 2022). Results Compliance with CDC only met 28.6% of the core elements in the preAMS period, a percentage that improved to 85.7% after the implementation (Fig.1). For the impact on UTIs, 269 patient cases were analyzed (53.2% preAMS and 46.8% postAMS). The optimal selection of ABs in the preAMS period was 53.8% (n=77) and 95.2% (n=120) in the postAMS with an improvement of 41.4% (p< 0.001). Ciprofloxacin optimal selection had a 31.3% (p=0.028) increase, while levofloxacin exhibited a 60.0% (p=0,027) increment. Additionally, in the postAMS, the overall use of nitrofurantoin increased 3.6 times and the use of TMP-SMX and fluoroquinolones was reduced by 92.9% and 48.3%, respectively (Table 1). By diagnosis, there was a 56.0% (p< 0.001) improvement in the optimal treatment of uncomplicated cystitis and 9.6% (p=0.05) for complicated cystitis (Table 1). The ER physicians were evaluated according to compliance with the clinical guidelines for UTIs. The mean score in the preAMS period was 46.2% and 90.0% in the postAMS (Fig.2).Figure 1.Compliance and activities related to the CDC Core Elements of outpatient AMS.Table 1.Comparison of optimal therapy selection in the emergency ward pre-AMS intervention and post-AMS by antibiotic prescription and UTI classification.Figure 2.Distribution of scores of ER physicians according to adherence to clinical guidelines for UTI by period. Conclusion The implementation of an OP-AMS according to CDC standards led to an improvement in complying with the OP UTI clinical guidelines. This suggests that this strategy could be applied to optimize the use of ABs in other infections in this population and region. Disclosures José P. Díaz-Madriz, PharmD, Eli Lilly: Stocks/Bonds|MSD: Advisor/Consultant|Pfizer: Advisor/Consultant

Antibiotic Use at Hospital Discharge and Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship

Antibiotic Use at Hospital Discharge and Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship

Exploring drivers and challenges influencing antibiotic prescribing in outpatient settings and possible mitigation strategies in the United Arab Emirates: a qualitative study.

Healthcare institutions implement antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes to optimize the use of antibiotics. The focus is often on inpatient rather than outpatient settings. We aimed to explore perceptions of AMS stakeholders on effective interventions for appropriate antibiotic use in outpatient settings, and the role of clinical pharmacists in the AMS multidisciplinary team. A qualitative semi-structured interview study using thematic analysis by two researchers independently. Participants that practice AMS programmes were recruited from healthcare facilities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Interviews were conducted face to face or online and transcribed verbatim. Four themes emerged: (i) Perceived factors leading to unnecessary or inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and their impact on patients and the community; (ii) current outpatient AMS activities and perceived barriers and facilitators for their sustainability; (iii) suggested outpatient AMS strategies to be implemented in outpatient settings; and (iv) perceived future AMS implementation barriers and suggested mitigation strategies. Several AMS interventions, together with the presence of a clinical pharmacist, may be effective in improving antibiotic use in UAE outpatient settings. Future research should investigate the most appropriate AMS strategy considering barriers and possible mitigation strategies to ensure sustainability.

Antimicrobial Stewardship Practices of Community Pharmacists in United Arab Emirates.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) activities in community pharmacies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A descriptive cross-sectional study in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE, was conducted using a validated questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of four AMS outpatient core elements, namely, commitment, action, tracking and reporting, and education and expertise, with each element containing different associated items. Pharmacy teams' responses were categorized into three levels: low, satisfactory, or high. Fifty-five pharmacy teams participated. Respondents confirmed implementation of at least one item of each AMS outpatient core element: commitment (94.5%), action (94.5%), tracking and reporting (67.3%), and education and expertise (81.8%). In supporting AMS implementation, surveyed teams scored high (81.8%) for action, satisfactory (65.5%) for education and expertise, low (43.6%) for tracking and reporting, and satisfactory (76.4%) for commitment. Attending antimicrobial stewardship programs was found to be a statistically significant predictor of implementation of antimicrobial stewardship activities (p = 0.048). The majority of community pharmacies met the core elements of outpatient antimicrobial stewardship to some degree. There is a significant association between participation in antimicrobial stewardship programs and implementation of antimicrobial stewardship activities by pharmacists in practice.

Identification of provider and patient characteristics associated with antibiotic prescription in treatment of acute sinusitis.

Inappropriate antibiotic use contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance. Sinusitis is the fifth most common diagnosis responsible for antibiotic use. Appropriate antibiotic prescribing for acute sinusitis treatment is crucial to mitigate antibiotic resistance threats. The purpose of this study was to identify patient and provider characteristics associated with antibiotic prescription and to assess provider adherence to antibiotic prescribing guidelines for acute sinusitis treatment. Retrospective chart review including acute sinusitis cases diagnosed over 12 months, at two express care clinics in the Southwestern United States. Data extraction identified 371 cases meeting inclusion criteria (age >18 years). Descriptive statistical data analyses included Chi square test. A majority of cases received antibiotic prescriptions (90.8%, n = 337). Sociodemographic characteristics significantly associated with antibiotic prescription (p < .05) included race, ethnicity, insurance type, and smoking status. Patient-reported nature of symptoms, sinus tenderness, and erythema/edema nasal turbinates were also significantly associated with antibiotic prescription (p < .05). Antibiotic prescription and watchful waiting for acute sinusitis treatment were significantly associated with provider types (p < .05). A gap exists between current guidelines and clinical practice for acute sinusitis treatment in outpatient settings. Antibiotic prescription occurred, although not indicated, along with incorrect antibiotic choice, dose, and duration of therapy. Outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs for acute sinusitis treatment with a focus on educational interventions for providers may reduce antibiotic overprescribing for acute sinusitis.

How to design and implement an outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programme.

Antimicrobial stewardship programmes in the outpatient setting have recently become an area of focus in an effort to improve antimicrobial prescribing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The Joint Commission have recently addressed this concern and provided a framework for the implementation of an outpatient stewardship programme. This manuscript offers detailed guidance on how to design and implement an outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programme and reviews the literature on current strategies. Challenges related to initiating and maintaining outpatient stewardship efforts are also discussed. This article is part of the Antibiotic stewardship Special Issue: https://www.drugsincontext.com/special_issues/antimicrobial-stewardship-a-focus-on-the-need-for-moderation.

1289. A Practical Approach to Antimicrobial Stewardship Education: Engaging Infectious Diseases Trainees in Targeted Outpatient Provider Feedback Program

Abstract Background A 2016 needs assessment survey of infectious diseases (ID) training program directors revealed gaps in ID fellows’ education including the application of antimicrobial stewardship into clinical practice. Direct involvement of ID trainees in inpatient antimicrobial stewardship (AS) activities has previously been described with favorable outcomes and achievement of program goals. Engagement of ID fellows in outpatient (OP) AS activities including targeted provider feedback has not been well described and may provide opportunity for more hands-on OP AS experience for trainees. Methods Our OP AS program developed a 4-week virtual rotation experience for ID fellows to meet organizational needs for AS education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) was chosen as a disease state priority. The expected progression of the ID fellow was as follows: Week 1: Review Core Elements of outpatient AS, regulatory requirements, and disease state priorities; review available stewardship tracking data sources; Week 2: Review facility-level antibiotic use data for a single outpatient clinic, and identify top 3 antibiotic prescribers in the clinic; Week 3: Deliver a virtual outpatient AS presentation to all providers at a single clinic, and create antibiotic report cards (See Figure 1) for top antibiotic prescribers; Week 4: Conduct 15-min targeted provider feedback sessions using antibiotic report cards for top 3 providers. Example Antibiotic Report Card Results Between September 2021-April 2022, three ID fellows completed the OP AS rotation experience. All fellows completed each week of the rotation successfully. Solicitation of feedback from providers receiving targeted feedback sessions (See Figure 2) is ongoing, and a standardized feedback form will be sent to all ID fellows completing the rotation at the end of the academic year to evaluate the program’s success in meeting pre-specified learning objectives. The rate of antibiotic prescribing for uncomplicated acute respiratory tract infection will be re-evaluated post-intervention for providers receiving targeted education. Targeted Provider Feedback Survey Conclusion Direct involvement of ID fellows in OP AS activities may be mutually beneficial for trainees and OP AS programs. A virtual format for AS education and intervention was practical and feasible. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

1752. Impact of a multifaceted, outpatient antimicrobial stewardship intervention bundle on unnecessary antimicrobial prescribing in upper respiratory tract infections (URI)

Abstract Background URIs are the most common indication for outpatient antibiotic prescribing. Given high rates of unnecessary prescribing, these indications have been identified as a high-priority target for outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP). Our primary objective was to evaluate the impact of a system-wide, multifaceted, outpatient ASP intervention bundle on unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for URI. Methods This quasi-experimental study was conducted from 2019 to 2021. ICD-10 codes for URIs were grouped into 3 tiers (i.e., tier I = antibiotics always indicated, tier II = sometimes, tier III = never). Encounters from 5 care specialties (i.e., family medicine, community internal medicine, express care, pediatrics, and emergency department) with a tier III URI primary ICD-10 code but without a secondary tier I or tier II code were included. COVID-19 ICD-10 codes were excluded. Interventions included construction of a prescribing data model, dissemination of clinician prescribing data and education, promotion of symptom management strategies, a patient-facing commitment poster, and a pre-populated URI order panel. Tools were designed at a system level and implemented by regional champions beginning in the 3rd quarter of 2020. The primary outcome was the rate of antibiotic prescribing, and the secondary outcome and counterbalance measure was the rate of repeat URI-related healthcare contact within 14 days. Outcomes were analyzed with chi-square with an α level of 0.05. Results A total of 147403 encounters were included. The overall antibiotic prescribing rate decreased from 24.1% to 12.3% between 2019 and 2021 (p&amp;lt; 0.01). Significant reductions in tier III antibiotic prescribing were demonstrated for each region, care specialty, and syndrome evaluated (Table 1). A reduction in repeat healthcare contact was seen across the total cohort (9.5% in 2019 vs. 8.3% in 2021, p&amp;lt; 0.01); decreases in repeat contact rates were observed in those not initially receiving an antibiotic (10.3% vs. 8.6%, p&amp;lt; 0.01), but not in those who initially received an antibiotic (6.8% vs. 6.8%, p = 0.94). Tier III URI encounter level antimicrobial prescribing rates by region, care specialty, and syndrome Conclusion A multifaceted, outpatient ASP intervention bundle decreased rates of unnecessary antimicrobial prescribing without increasing rates of 14-day repeat URI-related healthcare contact. Disclosures Paschalis Vergidis, MD, AbbVie: DSMB|Cidara: Grant/Research Support|Scynexis: Grant/Research Support Evan Draper, PharmD, Gilead Foundation: Grant/Research Support Sara Ausman, PharmD, Gilead: Honoraria Christina G. Rivera, PharmD, Gilead: Grant/Research Support|Gilead: Honoraria|Insmed: Honoraria.

1755. Interactive Provider Dashboards for Comparison of Outpatient Antimicrobial Prescribing for Respiratory and Otic Conditions in Urgent and Quick Care Clinics

Abstract Background Due to antibiotic overutilization, development of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in the outpatient setting has become a necessary focus for AMS programs. The cornerstone of AMS is utilization of antimicrobial prescribing data to provide feedback to individual providers and compare providers to each other in order to promote improved prescribing practices. Respiratory infections, especially conditions that never require antimicrobials, are a common target for this feedback. We aimed to create interactive data visualization dashboards of end-users prescribing for these respiratory and otic conditions in order for AMS and urgent/quick care program staff to identify potential areas of intervention. Methods A multidisciplinary work group consisting of data analysts, infectious diseases physicians, urgent/quick care physicians, and infectious diseases pharmacists determined dashboard content, layout, and comparison charts. Graph types were tested to determine optimal visual output. Using the electronic medical record ICD10 and antimicrobial prescription data was extracted for the encounter with focus on ICD10 codes for respiratory and otic conditions which never require antimicrobials. Rates were calculated as number of antimicrobial prescriptions over total number of visits for these conditions. Results A multi-faceted dashboard was developed in Tableau® to view antimicrobial prescribing rates. Dashboard capabilities include the option to view individual provider prescribing rates compared to other de-identified providers, overall clinic prescribing rate, or individual rate compared to clinic rate. This allows for quick direct comparison of antimicrobial prescribing on the same graph by clinic to identify outliers (Figure 1) and allows visualization of trends in prescribing rates by clinics and providers over time (Figures 2,3). Never Antimicrobial Prescribing Rate Comparison Scatter plot comparing individual prescribers rate of prescribing for never antimicrobial events Clinic Antimicrobial Prescribing Rate Trend Clinic prescribing rate trend over time for never antimicrobial events Prescriber and Clinic Antimicrobial Prescribing Rate Trend Individual prescriber rate compared to clinic rate over time for never antimicrobial events Conclusion We developed an interactive outpatient AMS dashboard to visualize prescribing of antimicrobials for never respiratory and otic conditions. These dashboards can be used by providers along with AMS and clinic leadership to determine areas of intervention in the urgent/quick care setting. Disclosures Kelly M. Percival, PharmD, Gilead Sciences Inc: Advisor/Consultant Patrick M. Kinn, PharmD, MPH, Gilead Sciences: Advisor/Consultant Dilek Ince, MD, Evergreen: Member of data monitoring board|Gilead Sciences: Grant/Research Support|Leidos: Grant/Research Support|Moderna: Grant/Research Support.

1751. Evaluation of Antimicrobial Stewardship Interventions in Primary Care Clinics

Abstract Background The goal of antimicrobial stewardship is to optimize antimicrobial therapy and clinical outcomes while minimizing the unintended consequences of antimicrobial use. With the majority of antibiotics prescribed in the outpatient setting, optimizing antimicrobial prescribing across the care continuum is necessary. We aimed to evaluate the effect of antimicrobial stewardship interventions on the rate of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in three adult primary care clinics affiliated with a tertiary care hospital. Methods Antibiotic prescriptions were identified by filtering common antibiotics prescribed prior to and post intervention. Prescriptions were excluded if they were prescribed pre-procedure or if the patient had a recent hospitalization within 30 days of the outpatient visit. Appropriateness of antibiotics was determined by indication, agent, dose and duration. Institutional guidelines were created for most common infections treated in the pre-intervention period. Education to outpatient providers was completed in two in-person visits. Results A total of 258 prescriptions were reviewed between the pre- and post-intervention periods. The majority of patients were female (73-76%) and the median age was similar between both cohorts. The most common infection treated during the pre-intervention period was urinary tract infection, whereas skin and soft tissue infection was most common in the post-intervention period. During the baseline period, the inappropriate prescribing rate was 61%. After intervention, the rate was reduced to 55%. Conclusion The use of outpatient antimicrobial stewardship guidelines and provider education to reinforce knowledge demonstrated reductions in inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

1754. Implementation of a targeted antimicrobial stewardship clinical decision support system on outpatient fluoroquinolone prescribing

Abstract Background Fluoroquinolones are broad spectrum antibiotics with several Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-issued black box warnings. Due to these risks, the FDA recommends reserving fluoroquinolones for situations with no alternatives. Beginning in 2020, the Joint Commission required outpatient antimicrobial stewardship activities due to overprescribing and growing resistance to antimicrobials. The role of this study was to implement a clinical decision support system (CDSS) targeting inappropriate outpatient fluoroquinolone prescribing. Methods This was a single center, quasi-experimental study evaluating patients prescribed oral fluoroquinolones in an outpatient ambulatory care setting between December 1, 2020-February 28, 2021 and December 1, 2021-February 28, 2022. Patients included in this study were divided into Pre-CDSS and Post-CDSS groups if they received oral antibiotics for pre-determined indications (see table 2 for the list of indications). The primary outcome was overall reduction in outpatient fluoroquinolone prescribing. Secondary objectives were reduction in outpatient fluoroquinolone prescribing by indication, orders by provider type, appropriate fluoroquinolone dosing per renal function and incidence of an emergency department (ED) visit or hospitalization within 90 days consistent with a fluoroquinolone adverse drug reaction. Results A total of 2,447 (1,105 in Pre-CDSS vs. 1,342 in Post-CDSS) were included for analysis. Fluoroquinolone prescribing significantly decreased in Post-CDSS group compared to Pre-CDSS group (4.9% vs. 3.4%; p = 0.03). There was a significant reduction in fluoroquinolone prescribing in abscess (8.5% vs. 4.9%; p = 0.003), dental abscess (4.4% vs. 0%; p &amp;lt; 0.00001), sinusitis (2.4% vs. 0.2%; p &amp;lt; 0.00001) and soft skin tissue infections (5.3% vs. 0.8%; p &amp;lt; 0.00001). In the fluoroquinolone subgroups, prescribing per provider type and appropriate dosing per renal function were similar, and there were no adverse events leading to an ED visit or hospitalization within 90 days. Conclusion Implementation of a CDSS resulted in a reduction of overall and targeted indication inappropriate fluoroquinolone prescribing. Disclosures Teri Fanizza, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCIDP, Merck &amp; co inc: Stocks/Bonds|Pfizer Inc: Stocks/Bonds.

Improving Duration of Antibiotics for Skin and Soft-tissue Infections in Pediatric Urgent Cares.

National guidelines recommend a 5- to 7-day course of antibiotics for most skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs). Our aim was to increase the percentage of pediatric patients receiving 5 to 7 days of oral antibiotics for SSTIs in our pediatric urgent care clinics (UCCs) from 60% to 75% by December 31, 2021. We performed cause-and-effect analysis and surveyed UCC providers to uncover reasons for hesitation with short antibiotic courses for SSTIs. Plan- Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle 1 provided an update on current guidelines for UCC providers and addressed providers' concerns. PDSA cycle 2 modified the electronic health record to display antimicrobial prescription sentences from shortest to longest duration. PDSA cycle 3 provided project outcome and balancing measure updates to UCC providers at regular intervals. We created a monthly report of patients 90 days and older in UCCs with a final diagnosis of SSTIs. We used a Shewhart control chart to identify special cause variations. After completing our PDSA cycles, we found that the percentage of children receiving 5 to 7 days of oral antibiotics for SSTIs exceeded 85%. The improvement was sustained over multiple months. There was no increase in the proportion of patients returning to the UCCs with an SSTI diagnosis within 14 days. By addressing primary drivers uncovered through quality improvement methodology, we shortened the antibiotic course for children seen in our UCCs with SSTIs. Outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs may apply similar methods to other diagnoses to further improve duration of antibiotic prescriptions.

Outpatient and peri-operative antibiotic stewardship in solid organ transplantation.

The consequences of inappropriate antimicrobial use including resistance are increasingly recognized as a global public health threat and many steps have been taken over the last few decades to advance antimicrobial stewardship initiatives with most organ transplant centers currently part of institutions with active antimicrobial stewardship programs. A review of the literature was conducted and articles were categorized according to the topic and relevance in the judgment of the two authors. A summary review of the currently available literature was created with a focus on periprocedural and outpatient antimicrobial stewardship. Limitations in the data were significant and discussed in the review. The principles of antimicrobial stewardship remain important throughout all phases starting with periprocedural prophylactic antimicrobial selection all the way through to discharge and subsequent healthcare encounters. Despite the broad advances in stewardship initiatives and the rapidly progressing supportive data overall there continue to be significant opportunities for additional research within various special patient populations including recipients of solid organ transplantation (SOT). The recent white paper published in the American Journal of Transplantation called to action the transplant and stewardship communities to have an increased focus and awareness of the issues that antimicrobial overuse can present in the SOT patient population. This is an important step that will hopefully generate more data in this group of patients that arguably faces the greatest vulnerability to the consequences of increased antimicrobial resistance.

Is the number of prescriptions an appropriate metric for outpatient antimicrobial consumption? A comparison between the prescription counts and days supplied.

The optimal metric for outpatient antimicrobial stewardship has not been well defined. The number of antibiotic prescriptions per clinic visit does not account for the therapeutic duration. We found only moderate association between prescription-based metrics and days-supplied-based metrics. Outpatient antibiotic consumption metrics should incorporate the duration of therapy.

Impact of outpatient antimicrobial stewardship guideline implementation in an urgent care setting

BackgroundUrgent care medicine is a rapidly growing health care sector where patients are commonly treated for acute infectious diseases–related conditions. However, there are few antimicrobial stewardship interventions described in these settings. ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to determine whether implementing outpatient antimicrobial stewardship guidelines would improve antibiotic prescribing for acute upper respiratory tract infections (ARTIs), skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), and urinary tract infections (UTI) at a single urgent care site. MethodsThis was a pre-post interventional study comparing antibiotic prescribing patterns for ARTI, SSTI, and UTI at a single urgent care site in the preintervention group (November 2019 to January 2020) with the postintervention group (November 2020 to January 2021) after implementation of outpatient stewardship guidelines. A second urgent care site that did not receive any interventions served as a control. The outpatient stewardship guidelines were implemented in October 2020 via didactic provider education and pocket guide distribution. The primary end point was the rate of total guideline-concordant antibiotic prescribing. Secondary end points included the rates of guideline concordance of each component of the prescription, including antibiotic selection, duration, dose, therapy indication, and patient safety outcomes. ResultsThe primary outcome of total guideline-concordant antibiotic prescribing significantly improved after implementation of outpatient antimicrobial stewardship guidelines at the study site (50% vs. 70%, P < 0.001), which was also reflected when comparing postintervention study site with postperiod control site (70% vs. 48%, P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant improvement in guideline-concordant duration of antibiotic therapy (43% vs. 61%, P = 0.001), driven by a reduction in antibiotic duration for UTI (7 [interquartile range (IQR) 5–7] vs. 5 [IQR 5–7] days, P = 0.007), which was also observed when comparing the postintervention study site with the postperiod control site (61% vs. 48%, P = 0.02). Patient safety outcomes were similar between groups. ConclusionAn antimicrobial stewardship intervention comprising institutional outpatient guideline implementation and provider education significantly improved total guideline-concordant antibiotic prescribing by 20% for ARTI, UTI, and SSTI in an urgent care site.