Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses
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Impact of Antimicrobial Stewardship for Pediatric Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy

Adam L Hersh1, Jared Olson2, Chris Stockmann1

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City.

Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
|May 27, 2017
PubMed

Insights

A new outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) stewardship program was implemented in a children's hospital. This initiative successfully reduced OPAT use by 24% through expert review of nearly all patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Stewardship
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) is crucial for managing complex pediatric infections.
  • Ensuring appropriate OPAT prescribing is essential for patient safety and resource optimization.
  • Children's hospitals face unique challenges in managing OPAT programs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and implement an OPAT stewardship program in a freestanding children's hospital.
  • To enhance the appropriateness of OPAT prescribing practices.
  • To evaluate the impact of the stewardship program on OPAT utilization.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a multidisciplinary OPAT stewardship team.
  • Implementation of a protocol for expert review of all patients discharged on OPAT.
  • Prospective data collection on OPAT prescribing patterns and utilization before and after program implementation.

Main Results:

  • The stewardship program achieved expert review for approximately 90% of patients discharged with OPAT.
  • A significant 24% reduction in overall OPAT use was observed post-implementation.
  • Improved adherence to stewardship guidelines for OPAT prescribing.

Conclusions:

  • An OPAT stewardship program is effective in improving prescribing appropriateness in pediatric settings.
  • Multidisciplinary expert review is a key component for successful OPAT stewardship.
  • Implementation of such programs can lead to substantial reductions in OPAT utilization.

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