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AuthorSara Jo, Bugeja
AuthorStewart, Derek
AuthorVosper, Helen
Available date2021-10-04T05:50:36Z
Publication Date2021-10-31
Publication NameResearch in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
Identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2021.01.009
CitationBugeja, Sara Jo, Derek Stewart, and Helen Vosper. "Clinical benefits and costs of an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy service." Research in social and administrative pharmacy (2021).
ISSN15517411
URIhttp://hdl.handle.net/10576/23644
AbstractBackgroundThe enrolment of patients to an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) service can be a means of mitigating financial burdens related to the provision of care and optimisation of hospital bed management. ObjectiveThis study aimed to identify the clinical benefit of the Maltese OPAT service and to quantify the costs incurred to run it. MethodsThe study period ran for 156 weeks during 1st October 2016 to 1st October 2019. Patient demographics, infection type, referring care team, antimicrobial agent/s used, type of vascular access device (VAD) available and service completion status (defined as provision of care without re-hospitalisation) were recorded. Time allocated for OPAT service delivery and expenses incurred were collected and an activity-based costing exercise was performed. ResultsThe patient population who benefited from the service was of 117, 15 of whom used the service twice, for a total of 132 episodes. Patients received 149 antimicrobial treatment courses, with ceftriaxone being the most common single agent used (n = 52, 34.9%). Teicoplanin with ertapenem was the most common regimen selected for combination therapy (n = 9, 52.9%). A total of 23 episodes (17.4%) resulted in a readmission, 6 (30%) of which were because of patient deterioration. The mean service running weekly cost was €455.47/$538.68 and a total of 3287 days of hospital stay were avoided. This effectively illustrates that the OPAT service optimised hospital bed availability without compromising care delivery. ConclusionThe national OPAT service proved to be a safe and effective alternative for patient management to promote patient-centred care without hospitalisation.
Languageen
PublisherElsevier
SubjectOutpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy
Activity-based costing
Service evaluation
Patient-centred care
Malta
TitleClinical benefits and costs of an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy service
TypeArticle
Pagination1758-1763
Issue Number10
Volume Number17
dc.accessType Abstract Only


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