A new service which administers intravenous antibiotics to patients with infections on an outpatient basis so they don’t have to be admitted to hospital, has chalked up considerable success in its first year of operation. Hospital admissions have been reduced with improved patient flow.
The Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Treatment (OPAT) service treated 108 patients in its first 12 months and freed up almost 2000 bed days. This represents an average of 5.5 inpatient hospital beds saved every day. And with plans to continue to expand the service, the number of patients is expected to grow over the coming years.
Patients who attend the OPAT service, which is available 365 days a year, come from a wide range of specialities and include people with cellulitis, osteomyelitis and infected pacemakers.
Dr Elan Tsarfati, Consultant Microbiologist, said: “The OPAT service has proved to be hugely beneficial to patient care and patient feedback has also been overwhelmingly positive with many appreciating the ability to attend on a daily basis rather than having to say in hospital.”
The next step for OPAT is an innovative education programme which will enable patients to administer their antibiotic treatment in their own home, if they wish, whilst continuing to be monitored by the specialist OPAT team.
