A Pathway for Community-Acquired Pneumonia With Rapid Conversion to Oral Therapy Improves Health Care Value

• Published in: Open forum infectious diseases 2020-11, Vol.7 (11), p.ofaa497-ofaa497
• Main Authors: Ciarkowski, Claire E, Timbrook, Tristan T, Kukhareva, Polina V, Edholm, Karli M, Hatton, Nathan D, Hopkins, Christy L, Thomas, Frank, Sanford, Matthew N, Igumnova, Elena, Benefield, Russell J, Kawamoto, Kensaku, Spivak, Emily S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Major
• ISSN: 2328-8957; 2328-8957
• DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofaa497

Abstract Background Evidence supports streamlined approaches for inpatients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) including early transition to oral antibiotics and shorter therapy. Uptake of these approaches is variable, and the best approaches to local implementation of infection-specific guidelines are unknown. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of a clinical decision support (CDS) tool linked with a clinical pathway on CAP care. Methods This is a retrospective, observational pre–post intervention study of inpatients with pneumonia admitted to a single academic medical center. Interventions were introduced in 3 sequential 6-month phases; Phase 1: education alone; Phase 2: education and a CDS-driven CAP pathway coupled with active antimicrobial stewardship and provider feedback; and Phase 3: education and a CDS-driven CAP pathway without active stewardship. The 12 months preceding the intervention were used as a baseline. Primary outcomes were length of intravenous antibiotic therapy and total length of antibiotic therapy. Clinical, process, and cost outcomes were also measured. Results The study included 1021 visits. Phase 2 was associated with significantly lower length of intravenous and total antibiotic therapy, higher procalcitonin lab utilization, and a 20% cost reduction compared with baseline. Phase 3 was associated with significantly lower length of intravenous antibiotic therapy and higher procalcitonin lab utilization compared with baseline. Conclusions A CDS-driven CAP pathway supplemented by active antimicrobial stewardship review led to the most robust improvements in antibiotic use and decreased costs with similar clinical outcomes.