136. Impact of an OPAT Pharmacist on Guideline Adherence and Clinical Outcomes

Background Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) provides select patients a cost-effective alternative to completing intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy outside the hospital. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) OPAT practice guidelines and handbook recommend weekly laboratory monitoring and timely follow-up for OPAT patients. An analysis at VA Palo Alto Healthcare System (VAPAHCS) conducted prior to pharmacist involvement demonstrated that IDSA recommendations were not routinely followed, leading to a clinical cure rate of 62.7%. This led to the implementation of an OPAT pharmacist in 2019. This analysis aims to determine the impact of a pharmacist-managed OPAT program at VAPAHCS. Methods This comparative, retrospective analysis included patients who received OPAT at VAPAHCS between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020 and those who received OPAT in a prior analysis. Primary outcomes included rates of adherence to IDSA recommendations on follow-up visits and weekly lab monitoring during OPAT. Secondary outcomes included rates of clinical cure, 90-day readmission, and adverse events or complications. Data was analyzed using Fisher’s exact test and independent t-test.Results This analysis included 74 patients and 76 total OPAT episodes. Bacteremia was the most common diagnosis (n=35, 38.0%), and the most common organism was methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) (n=23, 29.9%). With respect to guideline adherence pre- and post- pharmacist-managed OPAT, 31.3% versus 93.4% of patients had follow-up within 7 to 14 days of discharge (p< 0.001). Rates of weekly lab monitoring of CBC, BMP, and LFTs pre-pharmacist were 63.2%, 63.3%, and 49.5%, respectively, compared to post-pharmacist rates of 93.0%, 92.1%, and 83.6%, respectively. Clinical cure rates were 62.7% pre-pharmacist and 89.6% post-pharmacist (p< 0.001). More adverse drug reactions were identified in the post-pharmacist period, of which 30% required pharmacist intervention. Figure 1. Weekly Laboratory Monitoring of Antimicrobials (%)Figure 2. Adherence to IDSA Guideline Follow-up RecommendationFigure 3. Rates of Clinical CureConclusion Pharmacist involvement in OPAT significantly increased IDSA guideline adherence to lab monitoring and follow-up visits, and clinical cure rates. Identification of adverse drug reactions prompting pharmacist intervention further highlights the importance of follow-up in OPAT patients.Disclosures All Authors : No reported disclosures