Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs Research Articles

Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs Reduce Antibiotic Use at Combined Adult-Pediatric Hospitals.

Implementation of dedicated pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) at two combined adult-pediatric hospitals with existing ASPs was associated with sustained decreases in pediatric antibiotic use (AU) out of proportion to declines seen in adult inpatient units. ASPs in combined hospitals may not detect excessive pediatric AU without incorporating pediatric expertise.

Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of Prospective Audit and Feedback and Preauthorization by US Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs.

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) promote optimal antimicrobial use to prevent resistance, improve outcomes, and reduce costs. We explored how pediatric ASPs enact prospective audit and feedback (PAF) and preauthorization and characterized programs' perceptions of how these choices affected attainment of stewardship goals. We conducted focus groups with US pediatric ASP practitioners, organized by predominant strategy: PAF, preauthorization, or a hybrid. We asked open-ended questions about organization, staffing, and operation of these strategies, as well as rationales for and perceived advantages and disadvantages of these choices. We used applied thematic analysis to analyze transcripts, organizing coded text into themes and categories. We formulated a conceptual model for how the design and performance of PAF and preauthorization affect stewardship goals and stewards' work experiences. Eighteen physicians and 14 pharmacists from 24 hospitals participated in five focus groups. Stewards described myriad advantages and limitations of PAF and preauthorization that support or detract from stewardship goals. For example, PAF uncovered institutional trends in antibiotic use and fostered relationship building but was time-consuming. Preauthorization efficiently reduced broad-spectrum antimicrobial use, yet offered limited educational opportunities. How these strategies facilitated or impeded appropriate antimicrobial use in turn affected stewards' professional satisfaction, creating a feedback loop that could reinforced positive or negative outcomes. ASPs reported differing emphasis on and implementation of PAF and preauthorization. Each strategy entailed contrasting benefits and trade-offs for steward satisfaction and perceived efficacy, suggesting that a hybrid approach could enable ASPs to maximize strengths of each to mitigate drawbacks of the other.

1656. Evaluation of Using Oxacillin versus Vancomycin for Empiric Therapy of Late-Onset Neonatal Sepsis in NICU

Abstract Background Our Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (PedASP) assessed methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and created a NICU-specific antibiogram. Due to a rising trend of NICU MSSA infections seen in our 84-bed NICU, empiric therapy of late-onset neonatal sepsis (LONS) was modified from vancomycin to oxacillin in January 2021. We report the two-year results of using empiric oxacillin for LONS.Figure 1.Summary of S. aureus identified in LONS cases Methods We assessed MSSA versus MRSA isolated from blood and non-blood cultures in NICU between January 2019 and December 2022. Infants with weight less than 750 grams, previous MRSA infections, maternal MRSA colonization, or serious infections based on clinical judgement were advised to use empiric vancomycin. We examined the vancomycin eligibility criteria, antibiotic-pathogen mismatch rate, 30-day mortality, and frequency of peripheral intravenous (PIV) access loss after vancomycin or oxacillin administration. The cost-savings was estimated by comparing drug and lab costs associated with vancomycin and oxacillin use. Results LONS cases are summarized in Figure 1. There was no statistical difference in incidence of S. aureus bacteremia before and after protocol implementation (p=0.45). Antibiotic-pathogen mismatch rate was 0%. Cases of MRSA bacteremia increased from 0 to 3 post protocol initiation; all cases met vancomycin eligibility criteria. The 30-day mortality among MRSA infections increased from 0 to 1 case. Post protocol implementation, the PIV loss rate decreased from 4.7 to 3.3% (p=0.04), and vancomycin use decreased by 1154 doses while oxacillin use increased by 485 doses. Based on antibiotic use and 141 vancomycin levels averted, the estimated cost-savings was $140,229. Conclusion Our PedASP utilized local susceptibility data to change empiric antibiotics for LONS, reinforcing the benefit of using antibiogram to optimize antibiotic use in NICU. Implementing a NICU-specific antibiogram improved the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment and achieved significant cost savings. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

1648. Impact of a Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program on Optimizing Antibiotic Usage in a Non-Freestanding Children’s Hospital (PEDS-ASP)

Abstract Background Antibiotic misuse can lead to poor patient outcomes, including ineffective treatment of infections, increased adverse effects, and development of antibiotic resistance. Implementing an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) is a vital strategy to improve and measure the appropriate use of antibiotics. This study aimed to assess the impact of pediatric ASP implementation on the reduction of restricted antibiotic usage and the improvement of patient outcomes. Methods A single-center retrospective-prospective study was conducted at a children’s hospital and included patients admitted to general pediatric or pediatric intensive care units receiving one or more restricted antibiotics. Prior-authorization of these restricted antibiotics was implemented as the ASP strategy. A three-month pre- and post-implementation chart review was completed. The primary outcome was optimizing restricted antibiotic usage. Secondary outcomes included provider compliance, antibiotic days of therapy (DOT), hospital length of stay (LOS), and readmissions within 30 days. Table 1 Restricted antibiotics Results 50 patients were included in the study. Restricted antibiotic orders for 18 out of 24 patients in the post-implementation group (75%) were compliant with obtaining pre-approval. Vancomycin, cefepime, and metronidazole were the most common agents ordered. The most common indications were skin and soft tissue infections, musculoskeletal infections, and preemptive sepsis coverage. Patients receiving restricted antibiotics decreased by two (-7.7%) while total restricted antibiotic orders increased by five (16.7%) following ASP implementation. Mean antibiotic DOT increased by 2.02 days (42.7%) and mean hospital LOS increased by 1.8 days (31.0%) in the post-implementation group. There was no difference in 30-day readmissions. Figure 1 Restricted antibiotics ordered post-implementation of a pediatric antimicrobial stewardship program. Figure 2 Use of restricted antibiotics pre- and post-implementation of a pediatric antimicrobial stewardship program Conclusion The results of this study not only aided in establishing baseline data but also provided a starting point for future efforts concerning the appropriate use of restricted antibiotics. While the findings were inconsistent with those of other institutions, incomplete program compliance and patient complexity in the post-implementation group likely contributed to the increase in DOT and hospital LOS. A longer study duration is needed to assess the true impact of this program. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

2224. A Novel Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Intervention Leads to Decreased Use of Piperacillin-tazobactam in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at an Academic Institution

Abstract Background Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) were created to improve antimicrobial use without compromising patient outcomes. Nationwide, Pediatric ASPs have shown a very rapid growth during the past decade. Inpatient stewardship can present some challenges, particularly with special patient populations like newborns and premature infants. Methods A new Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship committee was established in April 2022 at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport- St. Mary’s Hospital. The first process measurement was a medication usage evaluation (MUE) report of piperacillin-tazobactam from January 31st, 2020, to September 7th, 2021, in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for early and late onset sepsis. Neonatologists received education about the recommended antibiotics for these indications. The stewardship committee obtained a report one year later to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Slicer dicer, a data extraction tool from EPIC Electronic Health Record (EHR) system was used to determine how many NICU patients received piperacillin-tazobactam. Results From January 31st, 2020, to September 7th, 2021, the charts of 64 neonatal patients, who were prescribed piperacillin-tazobactam, were reviewed. Out of these 64 patients, 46 (72%) were 4-28 days old when the antibiotic was received, 33 (72%) received piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin and 13 received additional antibiotics. Indications for the 46 patients included: Possible sepsis (15%), confirmed sepsis (6.5%), possible necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) (2.2%) and confirmed NEC (10.9%). The report demonstrated a possible overuse of piperacillin-tazobactam for early and late onset sepsis, without the diagnosis of NEC. We reported this antibiotic’s usage in NICU patients during the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 (Figure 1).Figure 1:Piperacillin-tazobactam usage in newborns and infants admitted to the Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Piperacillin-tazobactam was administered to a total of 27 patients admitted to the NICU in 2020, 46 patients in 2021, and only 15 patients in 2022. The medication usage evaluation (MUE) was presented by the Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship committee in April 2022. Conclusion Neonates and premature infants can represent a challenging patient population for Pediatric ASPs’ interventions. Before the introduction of this committee, there was no tracking of the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in patients admitted to the NICU. We reported a possible overuse of piperacillin tazobactam for early and late onset sepsis, as well as NEC. Our interventions caused a dramatic reduction in the administration of this broad-spectrum antibiotic in the NICU. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Validation of an electronic algorithm to identify appropriate antibiotic use for community-acquired pneumonia in children

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common indication for antibiotic use in hospitalized children and is a key target for pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). Building upon prior work, we developed and refined an electronic algorithm to identify children hospitalized with CAP and to evaluate the appropriateness of initial antibiotic choice and duration. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study including children 6 months to 17 years hospitalized for CAP between January 1, 2019, and October 31, 2022, at a tertiary-care children’s hospital. CAP was defined electronically as an International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code for pneumonia, a chest radiograph or chest computed tomography scan (CT) performed within 48 hours of admission, and systemic antibiotics administered within the first 48 hours of hospitalization and continued for at least 2 days. We applied the following exclusion criteria: patients transferred from another healthcare setting, those who died within 48 hours of hospitalization, children with complex chronic conditions, and those with intensive care unit stays >48 hours. Criteria for appropriate antibiotic choice and duration were defined based on established guidelines. Two physicians performed independent medical record reviews of 80 randomly selected patients (10% sample) to evaluate the performance of the electronic algorithm in (1) identifying patients treated for clinician-diagnosed CAP and (2) classifying antibiotic choice and duration as appropriate. A third physician resolved discrepancies. The electronic algorithm was compared to this medical record review, which served as the reference standard. Results: Of 80 children identified by the electronic algorithm, 79 (99%) were diagnosed with CAP based on medical record review. Antibiotic use was classified as the appropriate choice in 75 (94%) of 80 cases, and appropriate duration in 16 (20%) of 80 cases. The sensitivity of the electronic algorithm for identifying appropriate initial antibiotic choice was 94%; specificity could not be calculated because no events of inappropriate antibiotic choice were identified based on chart review. The sensitivity and specificity for determining appropriate duration were 88% and 97%, respectively (Table 1).Conclusions: The electronic algorithm accurately identified children hospitalized with CAP and demonstrated acceptable performance for identifying appropriate antibiotic choice and duration. Use of this electronic algorithm may improve the efficiency of stewardship activities and could facilitate alignment with updated accreditation standards. Future studies validating this algorithm at other centers are needed.Disclosures: None

First publication of endemic channels as part of a pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program: when to turn on the alarms? Recommendations of a pediatric ASP program

BackgroundPediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASP) consider DOT a fundamental measure to quantify the impact of ASP. Novel strategies have been described, but no endemic channels (EC) have been reported to compare antibiotic use within historical patterns. This report describes the process of constructing an EC and analyzing its interpretation.MethodsThis was a descriptive study of the construction, implementation, and analysis of EC. The median and quartile method, as well as the geometric mean (GM) and confidence interval (CI) methods using DOT for the last 4 years were used. ECs have also been elaborated on in critical services (PICU).ResultsGM and CI method seem to be more sensitive in identifying changes in antimicrobial use. Ceftriaxone increased its use starting in December 2021, reaching the warning zone in March 2022 in relation to increased cases of bacterial and complicated pneumonia. Piperacillin–tazobactam showed an important increase in PICU during the first 8 months of 2021, reaching the alert zone until August 2021; thereafter, its use decreased, and this variation was related to a modification in the presentation of complicated appendicitis during the COVID 19 pandemic restrictions. The use of ampicillin-sulbactam has increased since January 2022 because of a change in local guidelines regarding its use in appendicitis and peritonitis. The changes identified in each EC allowed ASP to take different conducts.ConclusionEC allowed us to construct a new tool to measure ASP impact, internal comparison of antibiotic use facilitated taking timely interventions. EC could be useful for all pediatric and adult ASP.

962. Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship at Colorado Hospitals

Abstract Background Although antibiotics are essential to pediatric care, many pediatric antimicrobial prescriptions are inappropriate. Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are implemented to mitigate these instances of inappropriate prescription, but little is known about how these programs are applied to pediatric care. To better understand extension of ASP to pediatric patients, barriers to pediatric stewardship, and desired resources for pediatric stewardship, we assessed stewardship practices as applied to pediatric patients and identified barriers to including this vulnerable population across Colorado hospitals. Methods We conducted a mixed-methods evaluation including a survey and semi-structured interviews with the objective of characterizing and assisting Colorado ASPs. Forty-one hospitals responded to the survey and 24 programs were interviewed, of 103 possible hospitals. Results Of the 41 hospitals responding to the survey and 23 hospitals interviewed, 35 (85%) and 23 (90%) cared for pediatric patients respectively. Of hospitals caring for neonatal and general pediatric patients, only 17% and 14% employed rigorous stewardship practices for the action, tracking, and reporting stewardship core elements for these populations (compared to 50% and 31% for their adult patients). Notably, we found many programs inaptly combined adult and pediatric ASP efforts (18 hospitals, 81%), including frequent combining of adult and pediatric antibiotic use data, versus separating these patient populations (3 hospitals, 14%). Barriers to priority pediatric stewardship included lack of pediatric expertise and perceived low priority for pediatric stewardship due to lower volumes. The most desired pediatric resources were clinical care guidelines and pediatric stewardship education. Conclusion Though most hospitals in Colorado care for pediatric patients, priority stewardship in pediatrics is rare. Resources to assist pediatric ASP are uncommon, and incentive to develop such resources may be low. Public health departments and pediatric hospitals can help combat antimicrobial resistance and improve pediatric care in community settings by providing easier access to pediatric expertise. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

928. The Cost-effectiveness of the Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in a Non-Freestanding Children’s Hospital

Abstract Background Improper utilization of antimicrobials has impacted clinical outcomes in patient care and economical costs. Pediatric antimicrobial stewardship (Ped ASP) lowers healthcare costs by promoting efficient and judicious use of antimicrobials which improves patient outcomes and amends resource utilization. The objective of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a Ped ASP in a non-freestanding children’s hospital within an adult-centered tertiary hospital. Methods We conducted a cost-effective analysis of our Ped ASP within a 685-bed, adult-centered medical center. Impacted by the COVID pandemic, the pediatric services reduced from 21 to 14 beds with 10 general pediatrics (PED) and 4 pediatric intensive care (PICU) beds. Our Ped ASP activities include thrice-weekly chart reviews followed by handshake rounds and quarterly reviews of documented interventions. The preset values of antimicrobial-specific interventions in the Electronic Medical Record system were utilized. An average cost savings of $732 (range: $2.5 - $2,640) per patient as determined by previous studies was used to calculate the annual cost savings. Results During years 2020 to 2021, antibiotic days of therapy per 1000 patient days (DOT) decreased from 290.4 to 100.2 in PED but increased from 433 to 569.1 in PICU. The ratio of broad to narrow-spectrum antibiotics decreased from 0.46 to 0.20 in PED and 0.69 to 0.63 in PICU. In 2020, 286 reviews were completed of 155 patients which projected an average cost savings of $113,460 (range: $387.5 - $409,200). In 2021, 256 reviews of 116 patients projected an average cost savings of $84,912 (range $290 - $306,240). An estimated overall annual cost-savings was $99,186. The total number of ASP-specific interventions in 2020 and 2021 were 172 and 146 with projected pharmacy intervention values of $26,354 and $19,170 respectively. Conclusion Our Ped ASP effectively reduces the usage of broad-spectrum antibiotics in both PED and PICU demonstrating cost savings. Implementing antibiotic time-out reports on specific broad-spectrum antibiotics based on local susceptibility data may further enhance the safety and appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

949. Impact of Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist Participation in Pediatric Infectious Diseases Rounds on Prospective Audit and Feedback Recommendations

Abstract Background Prospective audit and feedback (PAF) is a core strategy of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). To improve communication of PAF recommendations to the inpatient pediatric infectious diseases (ID) consult service, the ASP pharmacists at our hospital were integrated into ID rounds. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of ASP pharmacy participation in ID rounds on the rate of ASP recommendations. Methods Prior to implementation of the ASP pharmacist rounding service, the ASP pharmacist did not routinely attend rounds or communicate PAF recommendations directly to the ID consult service. Starting 1/3/22, the ASP pharmacists had daily (M-F) in-person discussions with the ID team regarding their patients’ antimicrobials. Audits performed between 1/4/21-12/30/21 and 1/3/22-4/29/22 on patients with an ID consult were included in the non-rounding cohort (NRC) and rounding cohort (RC), respectively. We compared PAF recommendation rates, characteristics, and acceptance rates between the two cohorts. Results There was an increase in PAF recommendation rate in the RC compared to NRC (188/485 [39%] vs 359/1234 [29%], p < 0.001). Antibiotics were the antimicrobial category mostly likely to have a recommendation and the rate of antibiotic PAF recommendations was higher in the RC compared to the NRC (132/341 [39%] vs. 271/934 [29%], p = 0.001) (Table 1). The most common recommendation types in both cohorts were to optimize the antimicrobial dose and antimicrobial discontinuation. Recommendations were more frequently communicated to the ID team in the RC compared to NRC (125/188 [66%] vs. 107/359 [30%], p < 0.001). The recommendation acceptance rate was similar between the two cohorts (159/188 [85%] RC vs. 290/359 [81%] NRC, p = 0.29). CNS: Central nervous system; IV: Intravenous; NRC: Non-rounding cohort; PAF: Prospective audit and feedback; PO: Per os, oral; RC: Rounding cohort; SSTI: Skin and soft tissue infection; UTI: Urinary tract infection. Conclusion Implementation of a pediatric ASP pharmacist rounding service increased the PAF recommendation rate and improved recommendation communication with the pediatric ID consult service. Participation in rounds may better inform ASP pharmacist PAF recommendations. Future studies describing the potential benefit to the ID team by having an ASP pharmacist present on rounds are warranted. ASPs should consider formal integration of ASP pharmacists as part of the ID consult service to further improve the quality of antimicrobial prescribing. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Pediatric infectious disease physician perceptions of antimicrobial stewardship programs.

Pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) improve antibiotic use for hospitalized children. Prescriber surveys indicate acceptance of ASPs, but data on infectious diseases (ID) physician opinions of ASPs are lacking. We conducted a survey of pediatric ID physicians, ASP and non-ASP, and their perceptions of ASP practices and outcomes.

109. Develop and Implement a Novel Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in a Non-Freestanding Children’s Hospital Located in an Adult-Centered Community Hospital in San Joaquin Valley, California

BackgroundA pediatric-specific antimicrobial stewardship program (Ped ASP) has been shown to optimize antimicrobial use, improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare expenditures in this population. Opportunities and challenges exist when developing a Ped ASP for a children’s hospital within an adult-centered medical center primarily due to mixed infrastructure. The objective of this study is to provide process and outcome data of a new Ped ASP in a non-freestanding children’s hospital within an adult-centered tertiary hospital.MethodsA pediatric infectious disease physician and four pediatric pharmacists designed a Ped ASP utilizing direct and indirect patient care activities to optimize pediatric antimicrobial use in 21 bed-pediatric services within a 685-bed, adult-centered medical center. Implemented in 2020, Ped ASP activities include thrice weekly chart reviews followed by handshake rounds and quarterly reviews of documented interventions. The Ped ASP team also developed policies, education, and other resources to further guide appropriate antimicrobial use, in collaboration with the adult team.ResultsPed ASP was initiated on general pediatric (PED) and pediatric intensive care (PICU) units. In 2020, a total of 286 charts were reviewed with 199 antibiotic interventions provided, including optimization of antimicrobial selection (23%), IV-to-PO conversion (15%), and antimicrobial dosage adjustment (13%). Annual average antibiotic length and days of therapy per 1000 patient-days were 241 and 290 respectively in PED, and 388 and 432 in PICU. The overall trend from 2020 to 2021 decreased in PED but increased in PICU (Fig. 1). The ratio of narrow to broad spectrum antibiotic use increased for both PED and PICU (Fig. 2). Simultaneously, a pediatric-specific antibiogram, extended-infusion protocol of beta-lactams, and neonatal sepsis treatment algorithm were developed and implemented. Antibiotic Days of Therapy per 1000 Patient Days Ratio of Narrow: Broad Spectrum Antibiotic UsageConclusionA Ped ASP was successfully developed in a non-freestanding children’s hospital. Continual metrics served as an important tool to identify areas for improvement. Future goals include expansion of Ped ASP to other service lines, enhanced ASP education and development of additional pediatric antimicrobial treatment pathways.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

123. Formal Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at a Children’s Hospital Within a Larger Academic Medical Center Decreases Antimicrobial Prescribing

Abstract Background Antimicrobial stewardship is a coordinated approach to antimicrobial overprescribing, an avoidable contributor to adverse events in children. Implementation of a formal pediatric antimicrobial stewardship program (pASP) in a children’s hospital within a hospital poses unique challenges due to staffing, funding, and institutional priorities. We hypothesized that a formalized pASP would decrease antimicrobial prescribing in a children’s hospital within a large academic medical center. Methods We extracted pharmacy administration data for all patients receiving systemic antimicrobials in a tertiary care, academic children’s hospital in Upstate NY from 3/1/2020-5/31/2021. We grouped patients into floor (including patients with surgical, hematologic, and oncologic processes), pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We calculated antimicrobial days of therapy per 1000 patient days (DOT/1000PD) for 6 months before, 3 months during, and 6 months after institution of pASP. The formalized pASP involved physician and pharmacy leadership of prospective audit and feedback. We developed run charts and used two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with an effect of location, an effect of the intervention, and an interaction effect. Significant effects were then tested using Tukey’s test for multiple comparisons. Results Run charts are displayed in figures 1-3. Overall, the pediatric floor(DOT/1000PD=1181) had significantly higher prescribing than the PICU(847), which was significantly higher than the NICU(327) (p< 0.001, ANOVA). Antimicrobial prescribing after pASP dropped by 80 DOT/1000PD (98%CI: 23 to 137) (p=0.008; Tukey’s test) after including the effect of location. The interaction effect was not significant (p=0.77; ANOVA) suggesting that the intervention did not have a significantly different effect in the three locations. Variation in Antimicrobial Prescribing on the Pediatric Floors Variation in Antimicrobial Prescribing in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Variation in Antimicrobial Prescribing in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Conclusion Antimicrobial prescribing decreased following implementation of a formalized pASP in a children’s hospital within a large academic medical center. Despite unique challenges with implementation in this environment, antimicrobial stewardship remains effective. Variation between floor, PICU, and NICU antimicrobial prescribing was also notable. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

125. Antimicrobial Stewardship Hospital Activities to Promote Antibiotic Awareness Week 2019, Chicago, IL

BackgroundU.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) is an annual campaign to increase knowledge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threats and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. USAAW will be observed November 18-24, 2021 in cadence with World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. MethodsIn October 2019, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) surveyed 25 Chicago acute care hospital (ACH) antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) via REDCap, an electronic data capture system, to assess their planned activities for USAAW in November 2019. Survey results from 14 (56%) respondent ACHs were collated and disseminated to all 25 ACHs prior to USAAW. ResultsACH ASP survey responses were categorized by ACH size: smaller hospitals (SH) < 350 beds (n=7) and larger hospitals (LH) > 350 beds (n=7) and displayed in the Table. Nine respondents were Infectious Disease (ID) Pharmacists, 3 were ID Physicians, 1 was an Administrator and 1 was an Infection Prevention Nurse. Among SHs, the ASP was funded for an ID Pharmacist salaried position (FTE) < 0.5 at 4 ACHs, 0.5 in 2, and 1 FTE at 1 ACH. LHs reported ID Pharmacist funding ranging from < 0.5 – 2.5 FTE, with the majority with 1 FTE at 3 LHs. All ACHs reported 0.5 FTE or less ID Physician support for their ASPs. Eleven (79%) of respondent ACHs did not report an annual budget for ASP activities. Ten (71%) ACHs disagreed or strongly disagreed that funding was adequate in the outpatient setting compared to inpatient both for adult and pediatric ASP services. Types of planned activities for USAAW included social media posts, provider education, digital displays, and/or go-live with a new antimicrobial policy. Top three barriers to ASP advancements were financial considerations (n=9), competing responsibilities for ASP leads (n=7), and tied for third was personnel shortages (n=6) and other clinical initiatives with higher priority (n=6). ConclusionPublic Health Departments can facilitate assessment of ACH ASPs within their jurisdiction to identify ways to advance the ASP agenda and combat AMR. A variety of strategies were used by Chicago ACHs to promote ASP initiatives during USAAW. Challenges continue with inadequate funding, especially in outpatient settings.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

A Culture Change: Impact of a Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Based on Guideline Implementation and Prospective Audit with Feedback.

Reports analyzing the impact of pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) over long periods of time are lacking. We thus report our ASP experience in a pediatric tertiary referral center over a long-term period from 2011 to 2018. Our ASP was implemented in 2011. The program was based primarily on guideline development with key stakeholders, engaging and educating providers, followed by prospective audit with feedback (PAF). Monitored antibiotics included meropenem, piperacillin–tazobactam, and cefepime, followed by the addition of ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, linezolid, and vancomycin at various time points. Specifically, the program did not implemented the core strategy of formulary restriction with prior authorization. Process- and outcome-related ASP measures were analyzed. We saw a 32% decrease in overall antibiotic utilization, a 51% decrease in the utilization of antibiotics undergoing PAF, and a 72% reduction in the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics such as meropenem. There was a concomitant increase in organism susceptibility and a reduction in yearly drug purchasing costs of over USD 560,000 from baseline without changes in sepsis-related mortality. Our study highlights that a pediatric ASP based primarily on the principles of guideline development and PAF can improve antibiotic utilization and institutional bacterial susceptibilities without a detrimental impact on patient outcomes by changing the culture of antimicrobial utilization within the institution.

Outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs in pediatric institutions in 2020: Status, needs, barriers.

To assess current resources, interventions, and obstacles of pediatric outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP). Cross-sectional study. Institutions from the Sharing Antimicrobial Reports for Pediatric Stewardship OutPatient collaborative (SHARPS-OP). Antimicrobial stewardship leaders from the above institutions. An investigator-developed survey was deployed online in September 2020 to antimicrobial stewardship leaders in SHARPS-OP institutions. The survey was divided into 4 sections: (1) basic information, (2) status of pediatric outpatient ASP in the institutions including financial support, (3) outpatient ASP interventions undertaken by the institutions, and (4) needs and SHARPS-OP collaborative goals. Of 56 invited institutions, 45 participated, achieving an 80% response rate. Only 5 sites (11%) had allocated financial support for an outpatient ASP, compared to 42 (95.6%) for their inpatient ASP. The most widely used outpatient ASP interventions included antimicrobial guidance (57.8%), education (46.7%), and quality improvement projects (37.8%). Time was identified as the biggest barrier to expanding outpatient ASPs (91.1%), followed by financial support (53.3%), development of meaningful reports (51.1%), and administrative support (44.4%). Important goals of the collaborative included seeking learning opportunities and developing clear metrics for pediatric outpatient ASP benchmarking. Program needs included securing operational support (35.8%) and strengthening data analysis (31.6%). Very few pediatric institutions with robust inpatient ASPs have devoted time and financial support to advance outpatient efforts. To promote appropriate antibiotic prescribing in the outpatient arena, time and resource funding by administrative leaders are necessary to develop a robust, sustainable stewardship infrastructure.

Challenges of Antibiotic Stewardship in the Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

The goals of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are to optimize antimicrobial prescribing habits in order to improve patient outcomes, reduce antimicrobial resistance, and reduce hospital costs. Multiple society-endorsed guidelines and government policies reinforce the importance of ASP implementation. Effective antimicrobial stewardship can impact unique patients, hospitals, and societal antibiotic-resistance burden. The role and subsequent success of these programs has largely been reported in the adult population. Pediatric and neonatal intensive care units present unique challenges for traditional antimicrobial stewardship approaches. The purpose of this review article is to explore the challenges of appropriate antibiotic use in the pediatric and neonatal intensive care units and to summarize strategies ASPs can use to overcome these challenges. These problems include non-specific disease presentations, limited evidence for definitive treatment durations in many pediatric infections, fewer pediatric-trained infectious disease physicians, and applicability of intensive laboratory obtainment, collection, and interpretation. Additionally, many ASP implementation studies evaluating the efficacy of ASPs exclude the PICU and NICU. Areas of focus for pediatric ASPs should likely include appropriate antibiotic initiation, appropriate antibiotic duration, and appropriate antibiotic de-escalation.

Antimicrobial stewardship program in pediatric medicine.

ABSTRACTThe rising threats from antimicrobial resistance due to inappropriate utilization of antimicrobial agents in health care including the pediatric population has been a topic of concern at the global level for the last several decades. The antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) is a multidisciplinary institutional initiative focusing primarily on the improvement of antimicrobial prescribing practices and limiting inappropriate use. ASPs play an important role in the implementation of healthcare strategies in pediatrics worldwide to reduce antimicrobial resistance. Many published reports demonstrate how adapted ASPs in pediatrics result in improvement of unnecessary antimicrobial utilization, decreasing drug resistance and treatment failure, minimization of adverse clinical outcomes, decreasing healthcare costs and hospital length of stay, and optimization of diagnostic strategies. However, some barriers in pediatric ASP still exist. This narrative review describes core elements of ASP, the impact of implemented ASPs on pediatric healthcare, and challenges of pediatric ASP as seen by the authors.

Pediatric antimicrobial stewardship practices at discharge: A national survey.

We surveyed pediatric antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) site leaders within the Sharing Antimicrobial Reports for Pediatric Stewardship collaborative regarding discharge stewardship practices. Among 67 sites, 13 (19%) reported ASP review of discharge antimicrobial prescriptions. These findings highlight discharge stewardship as a potential opportunity for improvement during the hospital-to-home transition.

The current state of antifungal stewardship among pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs.

To characterize the current state of antifungal stewardship practices and perceptions of antifungal use among pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). We developed and distributed an electronic survey, which included 17 closed-ended questions about institutional antifungal stewardship practices and perceptions, among pediatric ASPs. ASP physicians and pharmacists of 74 hospitals participating in the multicenter Sharing Antimicrobial Reports for Pediatric Stewardship (SHARPS) Collaborative. We sent surveys to 74 hospitals and received 68 unique responses, for a response rate of 92%. Overall, 63 of 68 the respondent ASPs (93%) reported that they conduct 1 or more antifungal stewardship activities. Of these 68 hospital ASPs, 43 (63%) perform prospective audit and feedback (PAF) of antifungals. The most common reasons reported for not performing PAF of antifungals were not enough time or resources (19 of 25, 76%) and minimal institutional antifungal use (6 of 25, 24%). Also, 52 hospitals (76%) require preauthorization for 1 or more antifungal agents. The most commonly restricted antifungals were isavuconazole (42 of 52 hospitals, 80%) and posaconazole (39 of 52 hospitals, 75%). Furthermore, 33 ASPs (48%) agreed or strongly agreed that antifungals are inappropriately used at their institution, and only 25 of 68 (37%) of ASPs felt very confident making recommendations about antifungals. Most pediatric ASPs steward antifungals, but the strategies employed are highly variable across surveyed institutions. Although nearly half of respondents identified inappropriate antifungal use as a problem at their institution, most ASPs do not feel confident making recommendations about antifungals. Future studies are needed to determine the rate of inappropriate antifungal use and the best antifungal stewardship strategies.