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Ward MJ, Matheny ME, Rubenstein MD, Bonnet K, Dagostino C, Schlundt DG, Anders S, Reese T, Mixon AS. Determinants of appropriate antibiotic and NSAID prescribing in unscheduled outpatient settings in the veterans health administration. BMC Health Serv Res 2024; 24:640. [PMID: 38760660 PMCID: PMC11102113 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-11082-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite efforts to enhance the quality of medication prescribing in outpatient settings, potentially inappropriate prescribing remains common, particularly in unscheduled settings where patients can present with infectious and pain-related complaints. Two of the most commonly prescribed medication classes in outpatient settings with frequent rates of potentially inappropriate prescribing include antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In the setting of persistent inappropriate prescribing, we sought to understand a diverse set of perspectives on the determinants of inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics and NSAIDs in the Veterans Health Administration. METHODS We conducted a qualitative study guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and Theory of Planned Behavior. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with clinicians, stakeholders, and Veterans from March 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021 within the Veteran Affairs Health System in unscheduled outpatient settings at the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System. Stakeholders included clinical operations leadership and methodological experts. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and de-identified. Data coding and analysis were conducted by experienced qualitative methodologists adhering to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies guidelines. Analysis was conducted using an iterative inductive/deductive process. RESULTS We conducted semi-structured interviews with 66 participants: clinicians (N = 25), stakeholders (N = 24), and Veterans (N = 17). We identified six themes contributing to potentially inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics and NSAIDs: 1) Perceived versus actual Veterans expectations about prescribing; 2) the influence of a time-pressured clinical environment on prescribing stewardship; 3) Limited clinician knowledge, awareness, and willingness to use evidence-based care; 4) Prescriber uncertainties about the Veteran condition at the time of the clinical encounter; 5) Limited communication; and 6) Technology barriers of the electronic health record and patient portal. CONCLUSIONS The diverse perspectives on prescribing underscore the need for interventions that recognize the detrimental impact of high workload on prescribing stewardship and the need to design interventions with the end-user in mind. This study revealed actionable themes that could be addressed to improve guideline concordant prescribing to enhance the quality of prescribing and to reduce patient harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Ward
- Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA , Geriatric Research, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, 2525 West End Avenue, Ste. 1430, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA.
- Medicine Service, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Michael E Matheny
- Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA , Geriatric Research, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, 2525 West End Avenue, Ste. 1430, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Division of General Internal Medicine & Public Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Melissa D Rubenstein
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kemberlee Bonnet
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Chloe Dagostino
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - David G Schlundt
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Shilo Anders
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Center for Research and Innovation in Systems Safety, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Thomas Reese
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Amanda S Mixon
- Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA , Geriatric Research, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, 2525 West End Avenue, Ste. 1430, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
- Section of Hospital Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
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Ilges D, Jensen K, Draper E, Dierkhising R, Prigge KA, Vergidis P, Virk A, Stevens RW. Evaluation of Multisite Programmatic Bundle to Reduce Unnecessary Antibiotic Prescribing for Respiratory Infections: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Open Forum Infect Dis 2023; 10:ofad585. [PMID: 38111752 PMCID: PMC10727194 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for Tier 3 upper respiratory infection (URI) syndromes across the Mayo Clinic Enterprise before and after a multifaceted antimicrobial stewardship intervention, and to determine ongoing factors associated with antibiotic prescribing and repeat respiratory healthcare contact in the postintervention period. Methods This was a quasi-experimental, pre/post, retrospective cohort study from 1 January 2019 through 31 December 2022, with 12-month washout during implementation from 1 July 2020 through 30 June 2021. All outpatient encounters, adult and pediatric, from primary care, urgent care, and emergency medicine specialties with a Tier 3 URI diagnosis were included. The intervention was a multifaceted outpatient antibiotic stewardship bundle. The primary outcome was the rate of antibiotic prescribing in Tier 3 encounters. Secondary outcomes included 14-day repeat healthcare contact for respiratory indications and factors associated with persistent unnecessary prescribing. Results A total of 165 658 Tier 3 encounters, 96 125 in the preintervention and 69 533 in the postintervention period, were included. Following intervention, the prescribing rate for Tier 3 encounters decreased from 21.7% to 11.2% (P < .001). Repeat 14-day respiratory healthcare contact in the no antibiotic group was lower postintervention (9.9.% vs 9.4%; P = .004). Multivariable models indicated that increasing patient age, Charlson comorbidity index, and primary diagnosis selected were the most important factors associated with persistent unnecessary antibiotic prescribing. Conclusions Outpatient antibiotic stewardship initiatives can reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for Tier 3 URIs without increasing repeat respiratory healthcare contact. Advancing age and number of comorbidities remain risk factors for persistent unnecessary antibiotic prescribing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Ilges
- Department of Pharmacy Services, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Kelsey Jensen
- Department of Pharmacy Services, Mayo Clinic Health System–Southeast Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota, USA
| | - Evan Draper
- Department of Pharmacy Services, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ross Dierkhising
- Division of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Paschalis Vergidis
- Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases, and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Abinash Virk
- Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases, and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ryan W Stevens
- Department of Pharmacy Services, Mayo Clinic Health System–Southeast Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota, USA
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