Outpatient Antimicrobial Treatment for People Who Inject Drugs

This article reviews the changing epidemiology of infections associated with injection drug use, perceived barriers to care, features of successful programs for outpatient antimicrobial treatment, models of shared decision making at the time of discharge, and linkage to preventative care after antimicrobial completion. In the search for patient-centered care associated with a rising substance use epidemic, one must continue to strive for novel collaborative approaches to ensure that each person is treated in the best way possible to successfully complete antimicrobial therapy, and then linked to a path of lifelong health care.