Vancomycin and daptomycin are frequently used in outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT). We analyze health care utilization and cost to the health care system for vancomycin vs daptomycin in the outpatient setting and find that vancomycin results in significantly higher health care utilization and similar cost per course compared with daptomycin in OPAT.

UNASSIGNED: The therapeutic approach to the patient with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection (ABSSSI) and complicated infections often involves the early transition from intravenous to oral therapy (early switch) or early discharge. Our study aimed to evaluate sustainable and innovative care models that can be transferred to community healthcare and the economic impact of dalbavancin therapy vs Standard of Care (SoC) therapy for the treatment of ABSSSI and other Gram-positive infections including those by multidrug-resistant organisms. We also described the organization of an infectious disease network that allows optimizing the treatment of ABSSSI and other complex infections with dalbavancin.
UNASSIGNED: We retrospectively studied all patients treated with dalbavancin in the University Hospital \"S. Anna\" of Ferrara, Italy, between November 2016 and December 2022. The clinical information of each patient was collected from the hospital\'s SAP database and used to evaluate the impact of dalbavancin in early discharge with reduction of length of stay promoting dehospitalization and in improving adherence to antibiotic therapy.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 287 patients (165 males and 122 females) were included in the study of which 62 were treated with dalbavancin. In 13/62 patients dalbavancin was administered in a single dose at the completion of therapy to facilitate early discharge. Assuming a 12-day hospitalization required for the treatment of ABSSSI or to complete the treatment of osteomyelitis or spondilodiscitis, the treatment with dalbavancin results in a cost reduction of more than €3,200 per single patient compared to SoC (dancomycin, linezolid or vancomycin).
UNASSIGNED: Dalbavancin has proven to be a valid therapeutic aid in the organization of a territorial infectious disease network given its prolonged action, which allows the dehospitalization with management of even patients with complex infections in outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy.

UNASSIGNED: 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.
UNASSIGNED: 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.
UNASSIGNED: 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.
UNASSIGNED: 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.

BACKGROUND: Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) offers an alternative to inpatient (hospital bed-based) treatment of infections that require intravenous administration of antimicrobials. This meta-analysis aimed to summarise the evidence available from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the efficacy and safety of OPAT compared to inpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy.
METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Sciences databases for RCTs comparing outpatient versus inpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy. We included studies without restrictions on language or publication year. Eligibility was reviewed independently by two assessors, and data extraction was cross validated. We evaluated bias risk via the Cochrane tool and determined the evidence certainty using GRADE. Meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects model. The protocol of this review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023460389).
RESULTS: Thirteen RCTs, involving 1,310 participants were included. We found no difference in mortality (Risk Ratio [RR] 0.54, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.23 to 1.26; P = 0.93), treatment failure (RR 1.0, CI 0.59 to 1.72; P = 0.99), adverse reaction related to antimicrobials (RR 0.89, CI 0.69 to 1.15; P = 0.38), and administration device (RR 0.58, CI 0.17 to 1.98; P = 0.87) between outpatient and inpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy. The overall body of evidence had a low level of certainty.
CONCLUSIONS: Existing evidence suggests OPAT is a safe and effective alternative to inpatient treatment. Further RCTs are warranted for a thorough comparison of inpatient and outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy with a high level of certainty.

BACKGROUND: The outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) program of Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) was supervised by emergency physicians (EPs) until 2017 when infectious disease (ID) physicians began assisting in management. We designed a retrospective study to determine whether ID involvement led to improved outcomes.
METHODS: This study analyzes the impact of ID involvement by comparing the mean days patients spent on OPAT with ID involvement versus EPs alone through a retrospective chart review. Secondary research objectives were to compare patient care decisions, e.g., antibiotic choice, tests ordered, and final diagnosis.
RESULTS: There was no difference between the mean number of days on OPAT between physician types. Compared to historic patterns, patients seen in OPAT after increased ID consultation spent an average of 0.5 fewer days in the program. However, when grouped by the first day of ID assessment, the average total days in OPAT was closely aligned with the day of first ID assessment, implying that ID frequently discharged patients close to initial assessment. Patients seen by ID were less likely to return within one month of discharge compared to those not seen by ID. Secondary findings include ID physicians prescribing a greater range of antibiotics, providing more varied final diagnoses, prescribing antibiotics less frequently, as well as ordering more cultures, diagnostic imaging and specialist consults.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study support the hypothesis that ID involvement in OPAT programs leads to changes in care that may have beneficial outcomes for patients and the healthcare system.

BACKGROUND: Many patients with cellulitis are treated with oral antibiotics as outpatients, but some require hospital admission for intravenous antibiotics. During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in Wales approved use of dalbavancin as first-line intravenous antibiotic from April to December 2020 to facilitate early discharge and prevent hospital admission.
OBJECTIVE: To report cost savings and admission avoidance through first-line intravenous use of dalbavancin for cellulitis in one health board in Wales.
METHODS: Patients with cellulitis who presented to the emergency department or medical assessment unit at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board\'s two hospitals between April and December 2020 were identified for treatment with dalbavancin, because they had not responded to oral antibiotics or their initial presentation warranted intravenous antibiotics. Patients received 1500 mg dalbavancin by intravenous infusion according to prescribing information and were sent home without being admitted. Outcomes were admission within 30 d of dalbavancin and cost savings from avoiding admission.
RESULTS: 31 patients were treated with dalbavancin for cellulitis in the emergency department or medical assessment unit. No patient was admitted within 30 d of receiving dalbavancin. Use of dalbavancin is estimated to have saved 248 bed-days over the study period, with an estimated saving of $120,444.23 based on avoidance of admission. The cost of dalbavancin for these 31 patients was $69,959.08, giving an overall cost saving of $50,485.15 ($1529.95 per patient).
CONCLUSIONS: Prescribing dalbavancin as first-line intravenous antibiotic for cellulitis prevents admission, saving bed-days and admission-related costs.

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) relies on substantial uncompensated provider time. In this study of a large academic OPAT program, the median amount of unbilled OPAT management time was 27 minutes per week, per OPAT course. These data should inform benchmarks in pursuing novel payment approaches for OPAT.

BACKGROUND: Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT), an alternative to inpatient intravenous antibiotic therapy, has shown benefits in international studies such as increased patient satisfaction. Because OPAT has been used only sporadically in Germany so far, no structured results on patients\' experiences and concerns regarding OPAT have yet been available. This study therefore aims to explore the experiences of OPAT patients in a pilot region in Germany.
METHODS: This is an observational study in a German pilot region, including a survey of 58 patients on their experiences with OPAT, and in-depth interviews with 12 patients (explanatory-sequential mixed-methods design).
RESULTS: Patients reported that they were satisfied with OPAT. That a hospital discharge was possible and anti-infective therapy could be continued in the home environment was rated as being particularly positive. In the beginning, many patients in the interviews were unsure about being able to administer the antibiotic therapy at home on their own. However, healthcare providers (doctors and pharmacy service provider staff) were able to allay these concerns. Patients appreciated regular contact with care providers. There were suggestions for improvement, particularly concerning the organization of the weekly check-up appointments and the provision of information about OPAT.
CONCLUSIONS: Patients were generally satisfied with OPAT. However, the treatment structures in Germany still need to be expanded to ensure comprehensive and high-quality OPAT care.
BACKGROUND: NCT04002453, https://www.
RESULTS: gov/ , (registration date: 2019-06-21).

UNASSIGNED: Treatment of invasive gram-positive infections in complex patient populations is challenging. Dalbavancin, approved for skin and soft tissue infections, offers advantages in this setting due to its long half-life and infrequent dosing. However, less is known about the outcomes of off-label dalbavancin for deeper infections.
UNASSIGNED: The objective of this study is to examine the feasibility and outcomes of patients with complex gram-positive infections treated with dalbavancin as an alternative to standard outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT).
UNASSIGNED: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective review of adult patients managed within an OPAT program with intravenous dalbavancin for off-label indications. Adult patients were included if they had treatment details and follow-up documented between January 2020 and June 2023. Details of dalbavancin use including indications for prescription were captured. Outcomes of interest included 90-day infection recurrence, prosthesis retention rates, 90-day mortality, and adverse medication events.
UNASSIGNED: In all, 61 patients received dalbavancin, mostly as sequential therapy. Twenty-three percent received dalbavancin strictly in the outpatient setting. Dalbavancin was used primarily for hardware (fracture, spine, or joint), native bone or joint, and complicated soft tissue infections. The predominant pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus (61%). Dalbavancin was frequently prescribed as a two-dose 1500 mg regimen (49%) due to persistent infection (23%), difficult line access (30%), difficulty achieving therapeutic vancomycin levels (18%), or substance abuse history (18%). Overall, six patients (10%) had infection recurrence and no patients died during the follow-up period. Three of eight patients with hardware retention had infection recurrence. Adverse effects were minimal and mostly self-limiting.
UNASSIGNED: Dalbavancin is an efficacious and safe alternative to standard OPAT, especially in those with barriers to traditional long-term intravenous antibiotics. Improved outcomes may be achieved with hardware removal. Dalbavancin may facilitate early discharge or prevent hospitalizations. Comparative studies of standard OPAT regimens versus dalbavancin are needed.

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