We are getting specific requests from hospital leadership about reviewing length of stay for patients requiring long term antibiotic therapy and if there are other opportunities. Currently, most patients remain in the hospital due to the potential of IV access promoting ease of administration and/or infection risks.
Inquiring to see if any institutions have specific guidelines/policies for long term IV access in patients with known substance abuse disorder who are known to inject drugs. The ISDA guidelines state each patient should be treated on a case by case basis (see below and attached).
Thanks in advance for responses if you have any guidance.
III. Can persons who inject drugs (PWID) be treated with OPAT at home?
Recommendation
3. No recommendation can be made about whether PWID
may be treated with OPAT at home (no recommendation,
low-quality evidence). Decisions should be made on a caseby-
case basis.
CID 2019:68 (1 January) • Norris et al
