Antibiotic prescribing upon discharge from the hospital to long-term care facilities: Implications for antimicrobial stewardship requirements in post-acute settings

Excellence in Antibiotic Stewardship: A Mixed-Methods Study Comparing High-, Medium-, and Low-Performing Hospitals

BACKGROUND

Despite antibiotic stewardship programs existing in most acute care hospitals, there continues to be variation in appropriate antibiotic use. While existing research examines individual prescriber behavior, contextual reasons for variation are poorly understood.

METHODS

We conducted an explanatory, sequential mixed-methods study of a purposeful sample of 7 hospitals with varying discharge antibiotic overuse. For each hospital, we conducted surveys, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews with antibiotic stewardship and clinical stakeholders. Data were analyzed separately and mixed during the interpretation phase, where each hospital was examined as a case, with findings organized across cases using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats framework to identify factors accounting for differences in antibiotic overuse across hospitals.

RESULTS

Surveys included 85 respondents. Interviews included 90 respondents (31 hospitalists, 33 clinical pharmacists, 14 stewardship leaders, 12 hospital leaders). On surveys, clinical pharmacists at hospitals with lower antibiotic overuse were more likely to report feeling: respected by hospitalist colleagues (P = .001), considered valuable team members (P = .001), and comfortable recommending antibiotic changes (P = .02). Based on mixed-methods analysis, hospitals with low antibiotic overuse had 4 distinguishing characteristics: (1) robust knowledge of and access to antibiotic stewardship guidance; (2) high-quality clinical pharmacist-physician relationships; (3) tools and infrastructure to support stewardship; and (4) highly engaged infectious diseases physicians who advocated stewardship principles.

CONCLUSIONS

This mixed-methods study demonstrates the importance of organizational context for high performance in stewardship and suggests that improving antimicrobial stewardship requires attention to knowledge, interactions, and relationships between clinical teams and infrastructure that supports stewardship and team interactions.

Protocol for a parallel cluster randomized trial of a participatory tailored approach to reduce overuse of antibiotics at hospital discharge: the ROAD home trial

BACKGROUND

Antibiotic overuse at hospital discharge is common, costly, and harmful. While discharge-specific antibiotic stewardship interventions are effective, they are resource-intensive and often infeasible for hospitals with resource constraints. This weakness impacts generalizability of stewardship interventions and has health equity implications as not all patients have access to the benefits of stewardship based on where they receive care. There may be different pathways to improve discharge antibiotic prescribing that vary widely in feasibility. Supporting hospitals in selecting interventions tailored to their context may be an effective approach to feasibly reduce antibiotic overuse at discharge across diverse hospitals. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Reducing Overuse of Antibiotics at Discharge Home multicomponent implementation strategy ("ROAD Home") on antibiotic overuse at discharge for community-acquired pneumonia and urinary tract infection.

METHODS

This 4-year two-arm parallel cluster-randomized trial will include three phases: baseline (23 months), intervention (12 months), and postintervention (12 months). Forty hospitals recruited from the Michigan Hospital Medicine Safety Consortium will undergo covariate-constrained randomization with half randomized to the ROAD Home implementation strategy and half to a "stewardship as usual" control. ROAD Home is informed by the integrated-Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services Framework and includes (1) a baseline needs assessment to create a tailored suite of potential stewardship interventions, (2) supported decision-making in selecting interventions to implement, and (3) external facilitation following an implementation blueprint. The primary outcome is baseline-adjusted days of antibiotic overuse at discharge. Secondary outcomes include 30-day patient outcomes and antibiotic-associated adverse events. A mixed-methods concurrent process evaluation will identify contextual factors influencing the implementation of tailored interventions, and assess implementation outcomes including acceptability, feasibility, fidelity, and sustainment.

DISCUSSION

Reducing antibiotic overuse at discharge across hospitals with varied resources requires tailoring of interventions. This trial will assess whether a multicomponent implementation strategy that supports hospitals in selecting evidence-based stewardship interventions tailored to local context leads to reduced overuse of antibiotics at discharge. Knowledge gained during this study could inform future efforts to implement stewardship in diverse hospitals and promote equity in access to the benefits of quality improvement initiatives.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT06106204 on 10/30/23.

A Systematic Literature Review on Risk Factors for and Timing of Clostridioides difficile Infection in the United States

INTRODUCTION

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a major public health threat. Up to 40% of patients with CDI experience recurrent CDI (rCDI), which is associated with increased morbidity. This study aimed to define an at-risk population by obtaining a detailed understanding of the different factors leading to CDI, rCDI, and CDI-related morbidity and of time to CDI.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) of MEDLINE (using PubMed) and EMBASE for relevant articles published between January 1, 2016, and November 11, 2022, covering the US population.

RESULTS

Of the 1324 articles identified, 151 met prespecified inclusion criteria. Advanced patient age was a likely risk factor for primary CDI within a general population, with significant risk estimates identified in nine of 10 studies. Older age was less important in specific populations with comorbidities usually diagnosed at earlier age, such as bowel disease and cancer. In terms of comorbidities, the established factors of infection, kidney disease, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and bowel disease along with several new factors (including anemia, fluid and electrolyte disorders, and coagulation disorders) were likely risk factors for primary CDI. Data on diabetes, cancer, and obesity were mixed. Other primary CDI risk factors were antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors, female sex, prior hospitalization, and the length of stay in hospital. Similar factors were identified for rCDI, but evidence was limited. Older age was a likely risk factor for mortality. Timing of primary CDI varied depending on the population: 2-3 weeks in patients receiving stem cell transplants, within 3 weeks for patients undergoing surgery, and generally more than 3 weeks following solid organ transplant.

CONCLUSION

This SLR uses recent evidence to define the most important factors associated with CDI, confirming those that are well established and highlighting new ones that could help to identify patient populations at high risk.

Antimicrobial Stewardship at Transitions of Care

Antimicrobial stewardship interventions have historically been siloed in different care settings; recently, a need for stewardship interventions at care transitions has arisen as inappropriate prescribing at care transitions may result in patient harm. There are several care areas that should be considered for optimizing antibiotic prescribing. Interventions can be difficult to implement as they often require the efforts of a multidisciplinary team and are resource intensive. Antimicrobial stewardship programs should prioritize interventions at transitions of care to improve prescribing and patient outcomes.

Assessment of antibiotic appropriateness at discharge: experience from a quaternary care hospital setting

Background

There is a gap in antimicrobial stewardship in transitions of care.

Objectives

To assess the appropriateness of antibiotics utilized and prescribing habits at hospital discharge.

Methods

A retrospective, observational study was conducted at our quaternary care hospital between January 2021 and March 2021. During the study period, all patients discharged on antibiotics for pneumonia (PNA), skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), urinary tract infections (UTI) and intra-abdominal infections (IAI) were included. The overall appropriateness of therapy was assessed based on the following combined criteria: agent, dose, frequency, duration of therapy, and ability to meet diagnostic criteria.

Results

One hundred and forty-five subjects met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 44 (30.3%) were determined to have received overall appropriate antibiotic therapy. The most common infections were UTI, followed by IAI, PNA, and SSTI, respectively. Further, from the group deemed to have received overall inappropriate therapy, 26 of the 101 (25.7%) patients received an inappropriate antibiotic choice, 6 (5.9%) an inappropriate dose, and 84 (83.2%) an inappropriate duration of therapy.

Conclusions

Inappropriate duration of therapy represented the most challenging problem with antibiotic regimens at discharge. Larger studies are needed to identify potential interventions that are effective, and can be implemented in all settings, including resource-limited ones.

Post-Discharge Clostridioides difficile Infection after Arthroplasties in Poland, Infection Prevention and Control as the Key Element of Prevention of C. difficile Infections

Clostridioides difficile is still one of the most common causes of hospital-acquired infectious diarrhea (CDI), and the incidence of CDI is one of the indicators that allows conclusions to be derived on the correctness of antibiotic administration. The objective of this observational study was the analysis of post-discharge CDI incidence in patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty, in order to specify optimum conditions for the surgical procedures and outpatient postoperative care. One-year observational study. Public Polish hospitals. Retrospective records for 83,525 surgery patients having undergone hip or knee arthroplasty were extracted from the Polish National Health Fund databases. CDI and/or antibiotic prescriptions in the 30 day post-surgery period were expressed per 1000 surgeries with antibiotic prescription on discharge or in ambulatory care, respectively. The CDI incidence rate was 34.4 per 10,000 patients, and 7.7 cases per 100,000 post-surgery patient-days. Patients who were prescribed at least one antibiotic were diagnosed with CDI more often than patients who had no antibiotic treatment (55.0/1000 patients vs. 1.8/1000 patients). In the multifactorial analysis, the following factors were significant: being at least 65 years of age, trauma as the cause of surgery, length of stay over 7 days, HAIs other than CDI and taking beta-lactams and/or quinolones but not macrolides in the post-discharge period. Postoperative antibiotic prescription in patients undergoing joint replacement surgery is the main risk factor for CDI. These observations indicate the necessity of improvement of infection control programs as the key factor for CDI prevention.

Association of Exposure to High-risk Antibiotics in Acute Care Hospitals With Multidrug-Resistant Organism Burden in Nursing Homes

IMPORTANCE

Little is known about the contribution of hospital antibiotic prescribing to multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) burden in nursing homes (NHs).

OBJECTIVES

To characterize antibiotic exposures across the NH patient's health care continuum (preceding health care exposure and NH stay) and to investigate whether recent antibiotic exposure is associated with MDRO colonization and room environment contamination at NH study enrollment.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This is a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study (conducted from 2013-2016) that enrolled NH patients and followed them up for as long as 6 months. The study was conducted in 6 NHs in Michigan among NH patients who were enrolled within 14 days of admission. Clinical metadata abstraction, multi-anatomical site screening, and room environment surveillance for MDROs were conducted at each study visit. Data were analyzed between May 2019 and November 2021.

EXPOSURES

Antibiotic data were abstracted from NH electronic medical records by trained research staff and characterized by class, route, indication, location of therapy initiation, risk for Clostridioides difficile infection (C diffogenic agents), and 2019 World Health Organization Access, Watch, and Reserve (AWARE) antibiotic stewardship framework categories.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcomes were MDRO colonization and MDRO room environment contamination at NH study enrollment, measured using standard microbiology methods. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify whether antibiotic exposure within 60 days was associated with MDRO burden at NH study enrollment. Additionally, antibiotic exposure data were characterized using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

A total of 642 patients were included (mean [SD] age, 74.7 [12.2] years; 369 [57.5%] women; 402 [62.6%] White; median [IQR] NH days to enrollment, 6.0 [3.0-7.0]). Of these, 422 (65.7%) received 1191 antibiotic exposures: 368 (57.3%) received 971 hospital-associated prescriptions, and 119 (18.5%) received 198 NH-associated prescriptions. Overall, 283 patients (44.1%) received at least 1 C diffogenic agent, and 322 (50.2%) received at least 1 high-risk WHO AWARE antibiotic (watch or reserve agent). More than half of NH patients (364 [56.7%]) and room environments (437 [68.1%]) had MDRO-positive results at enrollment. In multivariable analysis, recent antibiotic exposure was positively associated with baseline MDRO colonization (odds ratio [OR], 1.70; 95% CI, 1.22-2.38) and MDRO environmental contamination (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.17-2.39). Exploratory stratification by C diffogenic agent exposure increased the effect size (MDRO colonization: OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.33-2.96; MDRO environmental contamination: OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.24-2.79). Likewise, exploratory stratification by exposure to high-risk WHO AWARE antibiotics increased the effect size (MDRO colonization: OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.61-3.36; MDRO environmental contamination: OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.26-2.75).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The findings of this study suggest that high-risk, hospital-based antibiotics are a potentially high-value target to reduce MDROs in postacute care NHs. This study underscores the potential utility of integrated hospital and NH stewardship programming on regional MDRO epidemiology.

Antimicrobial Stewardship by Transitions of Care Pharmacists at Hospital Discharge

Objectives: This study assessed the impact transitions of care (TOC) pharmacists have on optimizing antimicrobial use for patients at high risk for mortality at hospital discharge. In addition, this study aimed to summarize and categorize the types of interventions made. Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study that included adult patients 18 years of age or older who were at high risk for readmission and mortality. Participants were selected if they had a hospital discharge date between January 2017 and June 2018, but were excluded if they were discharged to a facility where medications were managed by healthcare employees or if they were hospice eligible. TOC pharmacists identified eligible participants and reviewed their discharge medication lists to optimize pharmacological therapy, contacting the discharging prescriber if therapy changes were identified. The therapy recommendations made by TOC pharmacists were documented in an internal database for further analysis. Results: A total of 1100 patients were analyzed by TOC pharmacists during the studied timeframe and a total of 2066 interventions were made. With respect to study objectives, 298 (14.4%) of the interventions made by TOC pharmacists involved antimicrobial recommendations, affecting 255 (23.2%) patients. Recommendations involving dosing (89, 29.9%), treatment duration (74, 24.8%), and drug interactions (41, 13.8%) were the most frequent types of interventions made. Sixty-six (25.9%) patients received multiple interventions and 240 (80.5%) recommendations were accepted by the provider. Conclusion: An opportunity exists to optimize antimicrobial therapy surrounding the time of hospital discharge.

Antibiotic Overuse and Stewardship at Hospital Discharge: The Reducing Overuse of Antibiotics at Discharge (ROAD) Home Framework

Though opportunities exist to improve antibiotic prescribing across the care spectrum, discharge from acute hospitalization is an increasingly recognized source of antibiotic overuse. Antimicrobials are prescribed to more than 1 in 8 patients at hospital discharge; approximately half of which could be improved. Key targets for antibiotic stewardship at discharge include unnecessary antibiotics, excess duration, avoidable fluoroquinolones, and improving (or avoiding) intravenous antibiotic therapy. Barriers to discharge antibiotic stewardship include the perceived “high stakes” of care transitions during which patients move from intense to infrequent observation, difficulties in antibiotic measurement to guide improvement at discharge, and poor communication across silos, particularly with skilled nursing facilities. In this review, we discuss what is currently known about antibiotic overuse at hospital discharge, key barriers, and targets for improving antibiotic prescribing at discharge and we introduce an evidence-based framework, the Reducing Overuse of Antibiotics at Discharge Home Framework, for conducting discharge antibiotic stewardship.

Effectiveness and Acceptance of Multimodal Antibiotic Stewardship Program: Considering Progressive Implementation and Complementary Strategies

Multiple modes of interventions are available when implementing an antibiotic stewardship program (ASP), however, their complementarity has not yet been assessed. In a 938-bed hospital, we sequentially implemented four combined modes of interventions over one year, centralized by one infectious diseases specialist (IDS): (1) on-request infectious diseases specialist consulting service (IDSCS), (2) participation in intensive care unit meetings, (3) IDS intervention triggered by microbiological laboratory meetings, and (4) IDS intervention triggered by pharmacist alert. We assessed the complementarity of the different cumulative actions through quantitative and qualitative analysis of all interventions traced in the electronic medical record. We observed a quantitative and qualitative complementarity between interventions directly correlating to a decrease in antibiotic use. Quantitatively, the number of interventions has doubled after implementation of IDS intervention triggered by pharmacist alert. Qualitatively, these kinds of interventions led mainly to de-escalation or stopping of antibiotic therapy (63%) as opposed to on-request IDSCS (32%). An overall decrease of 14.6% in antibiotic use was observed (p = 0.03). Progressive implementation of the different interventions showed a concrete complementarity of these actions. Combined actions in ASPs could lead to a significant decrease in antibiotic use, especially regarding critical antibiotic prescriptions, while being well accepted by prescribers.

Opioid prescribing on discharge to skilled nursing facilities

PURPOSE

Skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents are at increased risk for opioid-related harms. We quantified the frequency of opioid prescribing among patients discharged from an acute care hospital to SNFs.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study among adult (≥18 years) inpatients discharged from a quaternary-care academic referral hospital in Portland, OR to a SNF between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018. Our primary outcome was receipt of an opioid prescription on discharge to a SNF. Our exposures included patient demographics (eg, age, sex), comorbid illnesses, surgical diagnosis related group (DRG), receiving opioids on the first day of the index hospital admission, and inpatient hospital length of stay.

RESULTS

Among 4374 patients discharged to a SNF, 3053 patients (70%) were prescribed an opioid on discharge. Among patients prescribed an opioid, 61% were over the age of 65 years, 50% were male, and 58% had a surgical Medicare severity diagnosis related group (MS-DRG). Approximately 70% of patients discharged to a SNF were prescribed an opioid on discharge, of which 68% were for oxycodone, and 52% were for ≥90 morphine milligram equivalents per day. Surgical DRG, diagnoses of cancer or chronic pain, last pain score, and receipt of an opioid on first day of the index hospital admission were independently associated with being prescribed an opioid on discharge to a SNF.

CONCLUSION

Opioids were frequently prescribed at high doses to patients discharged to a SNF. Efforts to improve opioid prescribing safety during this transition may be warranted.

Errors in antibiotic transitions between hospital and nursing home: How often do they occur?

We performed systematic review on 40 paired hospital and nursing home charts from a clinical trial to evaluate the fidelity of transitions of care among those discharged on antibiotics. We found that 30% of transitions included an inappropriate change to the patient's antibiotic plan of care.