Optimizing Staffing for Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy

At one medical center, 13% of OPAT encounters were billable, and RNs accounted for 47% of nonbillable encounters.

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is a complex interdisciplinary process essential to many infectious disease practices, yet little is known about estimating workload and reimbursement to fund sufficient staff, thereby optimizing the process. Researchers used electronic health record (EHR) data from a single medical practice to develop a model for optimal OPAT staffing by quantifying workload and financial impact for each OPAT episode. Episodes were categorized into those requiring therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) or not (nonTDM) and as billable or nonbillable.

From 2019 through 2020, a total of 1645 OPAT episodes occurred (median duration, 30 days). OPAT workflow and patient communication were associated with 17,476 EHR en…

Reviewing Author

Neil M. Ampel, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesCoccidioidomycosis Study Group (Past President, Secretary, Treasurer)

Neil M. Ampel, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesCoccidioidomycosis Study Group (Past President, Secretary, Treasurer)

Optimizing Staffing for Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy

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Reviewing Author