Propensity Score–Weighted Analysis of the Impact of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Plan Reconciliation on Unscheduled Care - Scorecard - MDSpire

Propensity Score–Weighted Analysis of the Impact of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Plan Reconciliation on Unscheduled Care

  • By

  • Jennifer K Ross

  • William D Sieling

  • Kaylyn N Billmeyer

  • Elizabeth B Hirsch

  • Michael D Evans

  • Susan E Kline

  • Alison L Galdys

  • June 12, 2025

  • 0 min

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Clinical Scorecard: Analysis of Propensity Score Weighting on the Effects of Reconciliation of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Plans on Unscheduled Healthcare Utilization

At a Glance

CategoryDetail
ConditionOutpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) and associated risks
Key MechanismsID pharmacist review and reconciliation of OPAT plans prior to hospital discharge to optimize antimicrobial therapy and reduce unscheduled healthcare use
Target PopulationAdult OPAT recipients discharged to home or postacute care facilities
Care SettingAcademic hospital with transition to outpatient or postacute care

Key Highlights

  • Implementation of ID pharmacist OPAT plan reconciliation reduced 90-day emergency department visits from 22.2% to 17.8%.
  • Hospital readmissions within 90 days decreased from 38.9% preimplementation to 33.4% postimplementation.
  • No significant difference in 90-day all-cause mortality between pre- and postimplementation cohorts.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

  • Identify patients requiring OPAT prior to hospital discharge.
  • Ensure designation of an OPAT provider, typically an infectious diseases physician.

Management

  • Conduct ID pharmacist review and reconciliation of OPAT plans before discharge.
  • Optimize antimicrobial selection and dosing based on patient clinical status.
  • Recommend appropriate laboratory and therapeutic drug monitoring.
  • Communicate interventions in real-time with the patient care team.

Monitoring & Follow-up

  • Perform ongoing laboratory monitoring as recommended by ID pharmacist.
  • Monitor for adverse drug events and vascular access device complications.

Risks

  • Adverse drug events, vascular access device complications, secondary infections, and antimicrobial resistance due to inappropriate therapy.
  • Medication errors leading to unplanned ED visits and readmissions.

Patient & Prescribing Data

2408 adult OPAT patients discharged from a large academic medical center between 2017 and 2022

Postimplementation group receiving pharmacist-reconciled OPAT plans had significantly fewer 90-day ED visits and readmissions, supporting the benefit of pharmacist involvement in OPAT transitions.

Clinical Best Practices

  • Engage ID pharmacists in OPAT plan review and reconciliation prior to hospital discharge.
  • Use electronic referral alerts to identify potential OPAT discharges for pharmacist review.
  • Ensure real-time communication of pharmacist interventions with the care team.
  • Document reconciliation and recommendations formally in the electronic health record.
  • Prioritize antimicrobial optimization and appropriate monitoring to reduce complications.

References

Original Source(s)

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