Economic impact of standardized orders for antimicrobial prophylaxis program.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Infectious Disease Prevention
• Health Economics

Background:

• Suboptimal timing of preoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis is a concern in hospitals.
• Timely administration of antibiotics is crucial for preventing surgical wound infections (SWIs).
• Previous studies have highlighted the economic burden of SWIs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an intervention on standardizing the timing of preoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis.
• To assess the economic implications of this intervention in a major teaching hospital.

Main Methods:

• A pre/post study design was employed, analyzing 120 inpatient procedures.
• Intervention involved an interdisciplinary program to ensure timely antimicrobial administration.
• Economic impact was determined using a decision analytic model with institutional costs and SWI probabilities.

Main Results:

• On-time prophylaxis increased from 68% to 97% post-intervention (p = 0.001).
• Operating room staff involvement rose from 57% to 92% (p = 0.001).
• Estimated annual cost avoidance was $90,707 CAN, with 153 hospital days avoided.

Conclusions:

• An interdisciplinary approach to optimizing antimicrobial prophylaxis timing positively impacts practice.
• The intervention leads to significant cost avoidance for healthcare institutions.
• Implementation costs are minimal compared to the annual savings generated.