Impact of COVID-19 on urgent care diagnoses and the new AXR metric

We examined the antibiotic prescribing rate for respiratory diagnoses (AXR) before and after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in urgent care clinics. At the onset, AXR declined substantially due to changes in case mix. Using AXR as a stewardship metric requires monitoring of changes in case mix.

Impact of an antibiotic stewardship initiative on urgent-care respiratory prescribing across patient race, ethnicity, and language

We conducted a post hoc analysis of an antibiotic stewardship intervention implemented across our health system's urgent-care network to determine whether there was a differential impact among patient groups. Respiratory urgent-care antibiotic prescribing decreased for all racial, ethnic, and preferred language groups, but disparities in antibiotic prescribing persisted.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Pneumonia in Urgent Care Clinics: Opportunities for Improving Care

Background

Community-acquired pneumonia is a well-studied condition; yet, in the urgent care setting, patient characteristics and adherence to guideline-recommended care are poorly described. Within Intermountain Health, a nonprofit integrated US health care system based in Utah, more patients present to urgent care clinics (UCCs) than emergency departments (EDs) for pneumonia care.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study 1 January 2019 through 31 December 2020 in 28 UCCs within Utah. We extracted electronic health record data for patients aged ≥12 years with ICD-10 pneumonia diagnoses entered by the bedside clinician, excluding patients with preceding pneumonia within 30 days or missing vital signs. We compared UCC patients with radiographic pneumonia (n = 4689), without radiographic pneumonia (n = 1053), without chest imaging (n = 1472), and matched controls with acute cough/bronchitis (n = 15 972). Additional outcomes were 30-day mortality and the proportion of patients with ED visits or hospital admission within 7 days after the index encounter.

Results

UCC patients diagnosed with pneumonia and possible/likely radiographic pneumonia by radiologist report had a mean age of 40 years and 52% were female. Almost all patients with pneumonia (93%) were treated with antibiotics, including those without radiographic confirmation. Hospital admissions and ED visits within 7 days were more common in patients with radiographic pneumonia vs patients with "unlikely" radiographs (6% vs 2% and 10% vs 6%, respectively). Observed 30-day all-cause mortality was low (0.26%). Patients diagnosed without chest imaging presented similarly to matched patients with cough/acute bronchitis. Most patients admitted to the hospital the same day after the UCC visit (84%) had an interim ED encounter. Pneumonia severity scores (pneumonia severity index, electronic CURB-65, and shock index) overestimated patient need for hospitalization.

Conclusions

Most UCC patients with pneumonia were successfully treated as outpatients. Opportunities to improve care include clinical decision support for diagnosing pneumonia with radiographic confirmation and development of pneumonia severity scores tailored to the UCC.

Antibiotics on Demand: Advances in Asynchronous Telemedicine Call for Increased Antibiotic Surveillance

The rapid growth of telehealth services has brought about direct-to-consumer telemedicine platforms, enabling patients to request antibiotics online without a virtual or face-to-face consultation. While telemedicine aims to enhance accessibility, this trend raises significant concerns regarding appropriate antimicrobial use and patient safety. In this viewpoint, we share our first-hand experience with 2 direct-to-consumer platforms, where we intentionally sought inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions for nonspecific symptoms strongly indicative of a viral upper respiratory infection. Despite the lack of clear necessity, requested antibiotic prescriptions were readily transmitted to our local pharmacy following a simple monetary transaction. The effortless acquisition of patient-selected antibiotics online, devoid of personal interactions or consultations, underscores the urgent imperative for intensified antimicrobial stewardship initiatives led by state and national public health organizations in telehealth settings. By augmenting oversight and regulation, we can ensure the responsible and judicious use of antibiotics, safeguard patient well-being, and preserve the efficacy of these vital medications.

A qualitative evaluation of frontline clinician perspectives toward antibiotic stewardship programs

OBJECTIVE

To examine the perspectives of caregivers that are not part of the antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) leadership team (eg, physicians, nurses, and clinical pharmacists), but who interact with ASPs in their role as frontline healthcare workers.

DESIGN

Qualitative semistructured interviews.

SETTING

The study was conducted in 2 large national healthcare systems including 7 hospitals in the Veterans' Health Administration and 4 hospitals in Intermountain Healthcare.

PARTICIPANTS

We interviewed 157 participants. The current analysis includes 123 nonsteward clinicians: 47 physicians, 26 pharmacists, 29 nurses, and 21 hospital leaders.

METHODS

Interviewers utilized a semistructured interview guide based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), which was tailored to the participant's role in the hospital as it related to ASPs. Qualitative analysis was conducted using a codebook based on the CFIR.

RESULTS

We identified 4 primary perspectives regarding ASPs. (1) Non-ASP pharmacists considered antibiotic stewardship activities to be a high priority despite the added burden to work duties: (2) Nurses acknowledged limited understanding of ASP activities or involvement with these programs; (3) Physicians criticized ASPs for their restrictions on clinical autonomy and questioned the ability of antibiotic stewards to make recommendations without the full clinical picture; And (4) hospital leaders expressed support for ASPs and recognized the unique challenges faced by non-ASP clinical staff.

CONCLUSION

Further understanding these differing perspectives of ASP implementation will inform possible ways to improve ASP implementation across clinical roles.

Concordance Between Initial Presumptive and Final Adjudicated Diagnoses of Infection Among Patients Meeting Sepsis-3 Criteria in the Emergency Department

BACKGROUND

Guidelines emphasize rapid antibiotic treatment for sepsis, but infection presence is often uncertain at initial presentation. We investigated the incidence and drivers of false-positive presumptive infection diagnosis among emergency department (ED) patients meeting Sepsis-3 criteria.

METHODS

For a retrospective cohort of patients hospitalized after meeting Sepsis-3 criteria (acute organ failure and suspected infection including blood cultures drawn and intravenous antimicrobials administered) in 1 of 4 EDs from 2013 to 2017, trained reviewers first identified the ED-diagnosed source of infection and adjudicated the presence and source of infection on final assessment. Reviewers subsequently adjudicated final infection probability for a randomly selected 10% subset of subjects. Risk factors for false-positive infection diagnosis and its association with 30-day mortality were evaluated using multivariable regression.

RESULTS

Of 8267 patients meeting Sepsis-3 criteria in the ED, 699 (8.5%) did not have an infection on final adjudication and 1488 (18.0%) patients with confirmed infections had a different source of infection diagnosed in the ED versus final adjudication (ie, initial/final source diagnosis discordance). Among the subset of patients whose final infection probability was adjudicated (n = 812), 79 (9.7%) had only "possible" infection and 77 (9.5%) were not infected. Factors associated with false-positive infection diagnosis included hypothermia, altered mental status, comorbidity burden, and an "unknown infection source" diagnosis in the ED (odds ratio: 6.39; 95% confidence interval: 5.14-7.94). False-positive infection diagnosis was not associated with 30-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large multihospital study, <20% of ED patients meeting Sepsis-3 criteria had no infection or only possible infection on retrospective adjudication.

Effect of tele-COVID rounds and a tele-stewardship intervention on antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients admitted to 17 small community hospitals

Antibiotic stewardship interventions are urgently needed to reduce antibiotic overuse in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, particularly in small community hospitals (SCHs), who often lack access to infectious diseases (ID) and stewardship resources. We implemented multidisciplinary tele-COVID rounds plus tele-antibiotic stewardship surveillance in 17 SCHs to standardize COVID management and evaluate concurrent antibiotics for discontinuation. Antibiotic use was compared in the 4 months preintervention versus 10 months postintervention. Interrupted time-series analysis demonstrated an immediate decrease in antibiotic use by 339 days of therapy/1000 COVID-19 patient days (p < .001), and an estimated 5258 antibiotic days avoided during the postintervention period. Thirty-day mortality was not significantly different, and a significant reduction in transfers was observed following the intervention (23.3% vs. 7.8%, p < .001). A novel tele-ID and tele-stewardship intervention significantly decreased antibiotic use and transfers among COVID-19 patients at 17 SCHs, demonstrating that telehealth is a feasible way to provide ID expertise in community and rural settings.

1739. An Exploratory Analysis to Examine Urgent Care Antibiotic Prescribing Inequities in a Vertically Integrated Healthcare System

Background

Previous studies have shown antibiotic prescribing differences based on patient demographics which may represent inequitable care. Our objective was to perform an exploratory analysis of antibiotic prescribing rates for respiratory conditions to better understand possible inequities and identify disparities in our health system.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of urgent care encounters for respiratory conditions in the Intermountain Healthcare (IH) network from July 1st 2018 – June 30th 2019. Individual respiratory encounters were identified using a validated methodology based on ICD10 codes. Overall antibiotic prescribing rates and rates for Tier 1 (antibiotics indicated), 2 (sometimes indicated), and 3 (not indicated, eg bronchitis) conditions were assessed. Prescribing rates for categories in which inequities might exist, including age, weight, patient race/ethnicity, preferred language, provider type, and provider/patient gender combinations, were examined. We considered an absolute percentage difference between groups within a category of ≥5.0% to represent a potential disparity.

Results

93,588 (48.5%) of 193,107 respiratory urgent care encounters were associated with an antibiotic prescription. Overall antibiotic prescribing rates (Results Image 1) were higher in white compared to non-white patients (49.0% vs 38.2%) and in those reporting non-Hispanic ethnicity compared to Hispanics (49.1% vs 43.2%). Patients over 18 years-old were prescribed antibiotics more frequently than younger patients. Among Tier 3 encounters male providers prescribed antibiotics more frequently for male patients than female providers did for female patients (20.8% vs 15.6). Overweight and obese patients with Tier 3 diagnoses received antibiotic prescriptions more frequently than non-obese patients (22.8% vs 15.3%). Minimal differences between patients who preferred English and those who preferred non-English languages were observed. Results Image 1 - Table 1

Overall antibiotic prescribing rates and antibiotic prescribing rates for Tier 3 conditions for urgent care respiratory condition encounters July 1st, 2018 – June 30th, 2019*¥. *Tier 3 codes are those where antibiotics are not indicated (eg bronchitis). ¥Absolute differences of ≥5.0% between groups within each category are indicated in bold.

Conclusion

Antibiotic prescribing rates for respiratory conditions in urgent care encounters in our system differed based on race, ethnicity, age, obesity, and gender. These differences may represent biases contributing to inequities in care and may serve as potential targets for improved stewardship efforts.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported disclosures.

2219. Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment Practices in the Ambulatory Setting of a Large Vertically Integrated Healthcare Organization: An Opportunity for Infectious Diseases Physician Engagement

Background

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to increase in the United States. Syphilis management may challenge busy outpatient clinicians and diagnostic delays have been described. To better understand syphilis treatment practices and identify targets for improvement in our organization, we characterized outpatient encounters associated with a positive syphilis test.

Methods

Intermountain Healthcare (IH) is an integrated healthcare system with 23 emergency departments (ED), 34 urgent care (UC), and &gt;100 primary care (PC) clinics. Protocols favor treponemal testing as the initial screening test. All positive treponemal tests associated with a positive non-treponemal test in the ambulatory setting were routed to an electronic inbox within the electronic health record (EHR) and reviewed by a team of Infectious Disease (ID) clinicians from May 1st 2021 – January 31st, 2022. Positive results originating from ID or HIV-trained primary care clinicians were excluded. Each encounter was assessed for staging and treatment plans based on CDC guidelines as well as HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and HIV treatment eligibility.

Results

119 encounters were reviewed. Patients 30-44 years old were most likely to have a positive test (50, 42.0%). PC (63, 52.9%) and UC (24, 20.2%) accounted for the most positive tests. 102 (85.7%) positive tests were from white patients, consistent with racial demographics of Utah. Only 40 (33.6%) encounters could be clinically staged after chart review by an ID clinician. Of these, 17 (42.5%) were determined to be staged and treated inappropriately by the treating provider. 54 (45.4%) encounters could not be staged and required further testing or more clinical history to determine the significance of positive test. 18 (15.1%) patients could possibly have benefitted from PrEP evaluation and one new HIV diagnosis was referred to ID clinic.

Conclusion

Our exploratory analysis revealed many syphilis cases unable to be staged on chart review and opportunities to improve care. Strategies such as prospective audit and feedback or eConsults may be insufficient and clinical evaluation may be necessary to stage syphilis infection. Syphilis care improvements in our system may be a future target for ID physician engagement and novel stewardship strategies.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported disclosures.

1799. Impact of COVID 19 on urgent care diagnoses and stewardship metrics

Background

The percentage of all respiratory diagnoses prescribed an antibiotic is an outpatient stewardship metric and was introduced as a HEDIS measure in 2022. Given a stable case mix, this metric is not affected by differences in coding practices between clinicians or health systems since all respiratory diagnoses are considered together. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a high number of viral illness episodes where antibiotics are not recommended. The impact of this shift in case mix on respiratory diagnosis coding and prescribing metrics has not been explored.

Methods

We examined antibiotic prescribing rates for respiratory diagnoses in a network of urgent care clinics affiliated with the University of Utah during two periods. Pre-Pandemic was Mar 2019-Feb 2020 and Pandemic was Mar 2020-Mar 2022. Respiratory diagnoses were identified using ICD10 codes and further stratified into 3 Tiers (Tier 1: antibiotics indicated; Tier 2: antibiotics sometimes indicated; Tier 3: antibiotics not indicated). We examined trends in antibiotic prescribing across these periods including the percentage of all respiratory visits prescribed antibiotics and by Tier and the distribution of diagnoses by Tier. No formalized stewardship interventions were introduced during these periods.

Results

There were 146,897 urgent care visits during the study period (47,423 Pre Pandemic and 99,474 Pandemic). The respiratory prescribing rate declined from 42.3% Pre Pandemic to 26.2% during the Pandemic (Figure). The distribution of respiratory diagnoses by Tier and prescribing within Tier are shown in the Table. Tier 3 diagnoses increased from 48% to 67%, while Tier 2 diagnoses declined from 47% to 31%. Antibiotic prescribing declined for both Tier 2 and Tier 3 diagnoses. 15,429 (23%) of Tier 3 diagnoses during the Pandemic were coded as COVID-19. 50% of the reduction in prescribing is attributable to changes in Tiers alone. FigureTable

Conclusion

The COVID 19 pandemic was associated with a reduction in the percentage of respiratory diagnoses prescribed antibiotics. Half was due to an increase in Tier 3 encounters although declines in prescribing occurred with Tiers in addition. Using this metric for benchmarking requires accounting for the impact of case mix differences over time or between systems and clinicians.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported disclosures.

2212. Improving Sexually Transmitted Infection Co-testing in a Large Urgent Care Network

Background

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a serious public health concern. The state of Utah has the lowest percentage of adults 18-64 years-old ever tested for HIV (26.5%) and the lowest percentage tested for HIV in the previous 12 months (6.5%). Increasing HIV testing in Utah is of the utmost importance. Delayed diagnoses and missed testing opportunities for HIV and other STIs exist. Encounters for evaluation of possible gonorrhea (GC) or chlamydia (CT) infection is a critical opportunity to co-test for HIV and syphilis. With continued growth, urgent care (UC) sites are well-positioned to increase STI diagnosis and treatment. We aimed to develop a multi-faceted quality improvement (QI) bundle to increase STI testing in our UC centers.

Methods

Intermountain Healthcare (IH) is a vertically integrated healthcare network predominantly in Utah and operates a network of 35 UC clinics across the state. In 2020, qualitative interviews to evaluate barriers to STI testing were performed with UC clinicians. Based on these interviews a QI initiative was designed and implemented throughout 2021. The bundle included clinician education, electronic health record (EHR) improvements, and automatic referral for patients with a new diagnosis of HIV to an Infectious Diseases (ID) physician (Methods Image 1). We compared co-testing rates before (July 2018 – December 2020) and after the intervention began (March 2021 – April 2022).

A Fully Integrated Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Stewardship Telehealth Service Improves Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia Bundle Adherence and Outcomes in 16 Small Community Hospitals

Background

Infectious diseases (ID) and antimicrobial stewardship (AS) improve Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) outcomes. However, many small community hospitals (SCHs) lack on-site access to these services, and it is not known if ID telehealth (IDt) offers the same benefit for SAB. We evaluated the impact of an integrated IDt service on SAB outcomes in 16 SCHs.

Methods

An IDt service offering IDt physician consultation plus IDt pharmacist surveillance was implemented in October 2016. Patients treated for SAB in 16 SCHs between January 2009 and August 2019 were identified for review. We compared SAB bundle adherence and outcomes between patients with and without an IDt consult (IDt group and control group, respectively).

Results

A total of 423 patients met inclusion criteria: 157 in the IDt group and 266 in the control group. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Among patients completing their admission at an SCH, IDt consultation increased SAB bundle adherence (79% vs 23%; odds ratio [OR], 16.9; 95% CI, 9.2-31.0). Thirty-day mortality and 90-day SAB recurrence favored the IDt group, but the differences were not statistically significant (5% vs 9%; P = .2; and 2% vs 6%; P = .09; respectively). IDt consultation significantly decreased 30-day SAB-related readmissions (9% vs 17%; P = .045) and increased length of stay (median [IQR], 5 [5-8] days vs 5 [3-7] days; P = .04). In a subgroup of SAB patients with a controllable source, IDt appeared to have a mortality benefit (2% vs 9%; OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.01-0.98).

Conclusions

An integrated ID/AS telehealth service improved SAB management and outcomes at 16 SCHs. These findings provide important insights for other IDt programs.

Harnessing the Power of Health Systems and Networks for Antimicrobial Stewardship

Twenty of 21 health systems and network-based antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) who were invited participated in a questionnaire, a webinar, and focus groups to understand implementation strategies for system-wide antimicrobial stewardship. Four centralized ASPs structures emerged. Of participating organizations, 3 (15%) confirmed classification as collaborative, 3 (15%) as centrally coordinated, 3 (15%) as in between or in transition between centrally coordinated and centrally led, 8 (40%) as centrally led, 2 (10%) as collaborative, consultative network. One (5%) organization considered themselves to be a hybrid. System-level stewardship responsibilities varied across sites and generally fell into 6 major categories: building and leading a stewardship community, strategic planning and goal setting, development of validated data streams, leveraging tools and technology for stewardship interventions, provision of subject-matter expertise, and communication/education. Centralized ASPs included in this study most commonly took a centrally led approach and engaged in activities tailored to system-wide goals.

A small but significantly greater incidence of inflammatory heart disease identified after vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2)

Background

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are being administered on an unprecedented scale. Assessing the risks of side effects is needed to aid clinicians in early detection and treatment. This study examined the risk of inflammatory heart disease, including pericarditis and myocarditis, following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

Methods

Intermountain Healthcare patients with inflammatory heart disease from December 15, 2020, to June 15, 2021, and with or without preceding SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations were studied. Relative rates of inflammatory heart disease were examined for vaccinated patients compared to unvaccinated patients.

Results

Of 67 identified inflammatory heart disease patients, 21 (31.3%) had a SARS-Cov-2 vaccination within the previous 60 days. Overall, 914,611 Intermountain Healthcare patients received a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, resulting in an inflammatory heart disease rate of 2.30 per 100,000 vaccinated patients. The relative risk of inflammatory heart disease for the vaccinated patients compared to the unvaccinated patients was 2.05 times higher rate within the 30-day window (p=0.01) and had a trend toward increase in the 60-day window (relative rate=1.63; p=0.07). All vaccinated patients with inflammatory heart disease were treated successfully with one death related to a pre-existing condition.

Conclusions

Though rare, the rate of inflammatory heart disease was greater in a SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated population than the unvaccinated population. This risk is eclipsed by the risk of contracting COVID-19 and its associated, commonly severe outcomes. Nevertheless, clinicians and patients should be informed of this risk to facilitate earlier recognition and treatment.

138. Tele-COVID Rounds and Tele-Stewardship Surveillance Reduces Antibiotic Use in COVID-19 Patients Admitted to 17 Small Community Hospitals

Background

Early bacterial co-infection is rare in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, yet antibiotics are commonly prescribed. Antibiotic stewardship (AS) intervention is needed, especially in small community hospitals (SCHs), which often lack access to AS expertise.

Methods

We implemented daily remote multidisciplinary tele-COVID rounds (synchronous case review between SCH providers and ID clinicians) and tele-stewardship surveillance (ID pharmacist review of COVID patients on antibiotics) on 6/24/2020 in 17 SCHs. We retrospectively included adult symptomatic COVID-19 admissions between 3/2020 and 4/2021. The primary outcome was early use of antibiotics for pneumonia (started within 48 hours of admission); mean monthly days of therapy per 1,000 patient days (DOT) were compared pre- (3/2020-6/2020) and post-intervention (7/2020-4/2021). Secondary outcomes were early use of antibiotics for any indication, estimated days of antibiotics avoided (comparing pre- and post-intervention DOT), and in-hospital mortality. Analyses were conducted using a two-tailed unpaired t-test (antibiotic use) or Fisher’s exact test (mortality).

Results

Of the 1,976 patients included (124 pre- vs. 1852 post-intervention), 55.4% were male and 85.5% were white. Patients in the pre-intervention group were more likely to require hospital transfer [21.8% vs 8.8% (p< 0.001)] and ICU admission [18.5% vs. 9.7% (p=0.003)]. We observed a significant decrease in mean use of early antibiotics for pneumonia [656.9 vs. 240.1 DOT (p< 0.001)], including among non-ICU patients only [603.6 vs 240.2 DOT (p< 0.001)]. Early antibiotic use for any indication also decreased [686.2 vs. 359.3 DOT (p< 0.001)]. An estimated 3,697 days of unnecessary antibiotics for pneumonia were avoided in the 10-months post-intervention [370 days per month (95% CI 304 – 435)]. Unadjusted in-hospital mortality was not different pre- vs post-intervention (0.8% vs. 2.0%, p=0.511), but was higher among those prescribed early antibiotics (4.4% vs 0.5%, p< 0.001).

Conclusion

A significant, sustained reduction in antibiotic use among COVID-19 patients at 17 SCHs was observed after implementation of tele-COVID rounds and tele-stewardship surveillance without an observed difference in mortality.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported disclosures

145. Comparing Antibiotic Use Across Inpatient Facilities with Different Antibiotic Stewardship Typologies using Machine Learning and Joint Modeling Approach

Background

Hospital antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP) aim to promote the appropriate use of antimicrobials (including antibiotics) and play a critical role in controlling antibiotic costs and antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection risk, and improving patient outcomes. However, unlike other health care quality improvement intervention programs, the ASP implementation strategies vary among healthcare facilities, and little is known about whether different types of ASP implementation will lead to the shifting of antibiotic drug use from one class to another.

Methods

We proposed an analytical framework using unsupervised machine learning and joint model approach to 1) develop a typology of ASP strategies in facilities from the Veterans Health Administration, America’s largest integrated health care system; and 2) simultaneously evaluate the impacts of different ASP types on the annual antibiotic use rates across multiple drug classes. The unsupervised machine learning method was used to leverage the structural components in the surveys conducted by the Veteran Affair (VA) Healthcare Analysis and Information group and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research experts from Boston University, and reveal the underlying ASP patterns in the VA facilities in 2016.

Results

We identified 4 groups in the VA facilities in terms of enthusiasm and implementation level of antibiotic control in our ASP typology. We found the facilities with high implementation level and high enthusiasm in ASP and those with high implementation level but low enthusiasm had statistically significant 30% (p-value=0.002) and 22% (p-value=0.031) lower antibiotic use rates in broad-spectrum agents used for community infections, respectively than those with low implementation level and low enthusiasm. However, the facilities with high implementation and high enthusiasm also marginally increased antibiotic use rates in beta-lactam antibiotics (p-value=0.096).

Conclusion

The developed analytical framework in the study provided an approach to the granular assessment of the impact of the healthcare intervention programs and might be informative for future health service policy development.

Disclosures

Matthew B. Goetz, MD, Nothing to disclose

Implementation of an Infectious Diseases Telehealth Consultation and Antibiotic Stewardship Program for 16 Small Community Hospitals

BACKGROUND

Telehealth improves access to infectious diseases (ID) and antibiotic stewardship (AS) services in small community hospitals (SCHs), but the optimal model has not been defined. We describe implementation and impact of an integrated ID telehealth (IDt) service for 16 SCHs in the Intermountain Healthcare system.

METHODS

The Intermountain IDt service included a 24-hour advice line, eConsults, telemedicine consultations (TCs), daily AS surveillance, long-term AS program (ASP) support by an IDt pharmacist, and a monthly telementoring webinar. We evaluated program measures from November 2016 through April 2018.

RESULTS

A total of 2487 IDt physician interactions with SCHs were recorded: 859 phone calls (35% of interactions), 761 eConsults (30%), and 867 TCs (35%). Of 1628 eConsults and TCs, 1400 (86%) were SCH provider requests, while 228 (14%) were IDt pharmacist generated. Six SCHs accounted for >95% of interactions. Median consultation times for each initial telehealth interaction type were 5 (interquartile range [IQR], 5-10) minutes for phone calls, 20 (IQR, 15-25) minutes for eConsults, and 50 (IQR, 35-60) minutes for TCs. Thirty-two percent of consults led to in-person ID clinic follow-up. Bacteremia was the most common reason for consultation (764/2487 [31%]) and Staphylococcus aureus the most common organism identified. ASPs were established at 16 facilities. Daily AS surveillance led to 2229 SCH pharmacist and 1305 IDt pharmacist recommendations. Eight projects were completed with IDt pharmacist support, leading to significant reductions in meropenem, vancomycin, and fluoroquinolone use.

CONCLUSIONS

An integrated IDt model led to collaborative ID/ASP interventions and improvements in antibiotic use at 16 SCHs. These findings provide insight into clinical and logistical considerations for IDt program implementation.

2059. Antimicrobial Stewardship of Community Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy: A Health System Approach

Background

Community parenteral antimicrobial therapy (CoPAT) allows patients to receive intravenous (IV) antimicrobials outside the hospital; however, inappropriate use occurs and can lead to adverse outcomes. In addition, these patients are at high risk of readmission. Our objective was to assess the quality of CoPAT in a large healthcare system in order to guide implementation of an intervention requiring mandatory review by antimicrobial stewardship.

Methods

We identified patients with orders for IV antimicrobials at discharge between January 1 and December 10, 2018. Patients were excluded if transferred to an acute care facility, left against medical advice, or died. 250 patients were selected using a random number generator and reviewed consecutively until 100 confirmed CoPAT encounters were identified. Each encounter was evaluated for evidence of ID consultation, opportunities for stewardship interventions in seven categories (See Table 1), and adverse events such as emergency room (ER) visits and readmissions.

Results

The query identified 4,642 potential CoPAT discharges from 22 hospitals (see Table 2). 117 encounters were reviewed to reach 100 true CoPAT discharges (85% query accuracy). Of these, 55 (55%) received a formal ID consult, 6 (6%) had an ID pharmacist or ID physician curbside, and 5 (5%) had an ID clinic follow-up appointment scheduled without formal ID consult. Opportunity for stewardship intervention was found in 50 (50%) patients (see Table 1). There were 31 (31%) patients who were seen in the ER (n = 21) and/or re-admitted (n = 19) to the hospital during or shortly after completion of CoPAT, of which 25 (81%) were potentially related to CoPAT, including abnormal laboratory findings, PICC-line complications, and signs or symptoms of infection.

Conclusion

CoPAT patients are complex with high healthcare utilization. Mandatory ID review of patients receiving CoPAT has the potential to impact 2,000 lives annually in a large health system.

Disclosures

All authors: No reported disclosures.

889. Impact of an Infectious Disease Telehealth (IDt) Service on S. aureus Bacteremia (SAB) Outcomes in 15 Small Community Hospitals

Background

Infectious diseases (ID) consultation improves SAB readmission rates, compliance with care bundles and mortality. Small community hospitals (SCHs) (which comprise 70% of US hospitals) often lack access to on-site ID physicians. IDt is one way to overcome this barrier, but it is unknown if IDt provides similar clinical benefits to traditional ID consultation. Our study aims to evaluate the impact of IDt on patient outcomes at 15 SCHs (bed range: 16–146) within the Intermountain Healthcare system in Utah.

Methods

Baseline demographics, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), hospital length of stay (LOS), and mortality (in-hospital, 30- and 90-day) were collected using an electronic health record database and health department vital records on all patients with a positive S. aureus blood culture from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2018. Data from January 2014 through Sep 2016 were excluded to avoid potential influence of a concurrent antimicrobial stewardship study. Starting in October 2016 an IDt program (staffed by an ID physician and pharmacist) provided consultation for SCH providers and patients using electronic consultation and encrypted two-way audiovisual communication.Statistical analyses were performed using Fisher’s exact test or χ ² test for categorical variables and Mann–Whitney U test for nonparametric continuous data.

Results

In total, 625 patients with SAB were identified: 127 (20%) received IDt and 498 (80%) did not (non-IDt). The two groups (IDt vs. non-IDt) were similar in median age (66 vs. 62 years; P = 0.76), percent male (62% vs. 58%; P = 0.35), and median baseline CCI (4 vs. 4; P = 0.54). There were no statistically significant differences in median LOS (5 vs. 5 days; P = 0.93) or in-hospital mortality (2% in both groups). The IDt group had a lower 30-day (9% vs. 15%; P = 0.049) and 90-day mortality (13% vs. 21%; P = 0.034).

Conclusion

IDt consultation was associated with a decrease in 30- and 90-day mortality for SCH SAB cases. Early transfer of critically ill patients might have affected LOS and in-hospital mortality. Post-discharge care factors might also contribute to 30- and 90-day mortality. While more work is needed to identify other factors associated with the effect of IDt on SAB, these data support the use of IDt to increase access to care and improve SAB outcomes in SCHs.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported Disclosures.

Implementation of a Centralized Infectious Diseases Telehealth (IDt) Service for 16 Small Community Hospitals

Background

The majority of U.S. small community hospitals (SCHs) lack access to infectious diseases (ID) subspecialists. Telehealth can extend ID expertise to such facilities. We describe lessons learned from implementing a new IDt program for 16 SCHs in the Intermountain Healthcare system in Utah and Idaho.

Methods

From October 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017, we implemented an IDt service comprised of: a 24-hour ID physician advice line; an inpatient ID consult service that provided chart review and documentation (e-consults) and daytime telemedicine consultation (TC) using encrypted, HIPAA-compliant, synchronous, 2-way audio-video connection; and an ID pharmacist-led antibiotic stewardship program. The IDt service included a medical director, operations officer, ID pharmacist, analyst, and rotating ID physicians, and was implemented in a step-wise manner at 16 SCHs. IDt requests were received through a dedicated phone line with duplicate transcription to a monitored email inbox or generated from daily antibiotic stewardship rounds.

Results

The physician advice line was operational for all 16 SCHs on October 1, 2016. 312 advice-only calls were fielded (92 per 1000 hospital-days covered) through April 30, 2017. Common infections requiring phone advice included: bloodstream (16%), genitourinary (13%), and musculoskeletal (12%). E-consult and TC services were operational at 11 SCHs by April 30, 2017 (hospital-days covered: 1074). The IDt service completed 104 eConsults, 163 TCs, and 1198 stewardship reviews. Mean time [minutes (range)] spent per case was 16 (5–30) for eConsults and 55 (30–120) for TCs [on-camera time: 25 (12–46)]. Common infections requiring e-consult or TC were: bloodstream (45%), musculoskeletal (16%), and skin/soft tissue (11%). 22 patients (14%) seen by TC were surveyed: 100% felt the service improved their care and was necessary at their SCH. 97% of surveyed SCH staff felt the IDt service improved patient care and 90% felt it was a necessary service (32% response from 98 providers, nurses, pharmacists).

Conclusion

A new IDt service was well utilized and received by SCH staff and patients, with bloodstream infections being the most common reason for consultation. Future steps include evaluation of the IDt effect on clinical outcomes, financial metrics, and staff education on common ID conditions.

Disclosures

All authors: No reported disclosures.

Infection control knowledge, attitudes, and practices among healthcare workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE

To better understand hospital infection control practices in Ethiopia.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional evaluation of healthcare worker (HCW) knowledge, attitudes, and practices about hand hygiene and tuberculosis (TB) infection control measures.

METHODS

An anonymous 76-item questionnaire was administered to HCWs at 2 university hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Knowledge items were scored as correct/incorrect. Attitude and practice items were assessed using a Likert scale.

RESULTS

In total, 261 surveys were completed by physicians (51%) and nurses (49%). Fifty-one percent of respondents were male; mean age was 30 years. While hand hygiene knowledge was fair, self-reported practice was suboptimal. Physicians reported performing hand hygiene 7% and 48% before and after patient contact, respectively. Barriers for performing hand hygiene included lack of hand hygiene agents (77%), sinks (30%), and proper training (50%) as well as irritation and dryness (67%) caused by hand sanitizer made in accordance with the World Health Organization formulation. TB infection control knowledge was excellent (more than 90% correct). Most HCWs felt that they were at high risk for occupational acquisition of TB (71%) and that proper TB infection control can prevent nosocomial transmission (92%). Only 12% of HCWs regularly wore a mask when caring for TB patients. Only 8% of HCWs reported that masks were regularly available, and 76% cited a lack of infrastructure to isolate suspected/known TB patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Training HCWs about the importance and proper practice of hand hygiene along with improving hand sanitizer options may improve patient safety. Additionally, enhanced infrastructure is needed to improve TB infection control practices and allay HCW concerns about acquiring TB in the hospital.