The OPAT Team, from left front row: Lindsay Donohue, Heather Cox, Catherine Kidd,
Tania Thomas , Megan Shah, back row: Zach Elliott, Chris Moore, Josh Eby
The ID Division provides a safety net for patients leaving UVA hospital with intravenous antimicrobials. Last year, this safety net was expanded by the initiation of the Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) Service team of ID physicians, ID-trained pharmacists and a nurse practitioner. The team evaluates and manages patients requiring outpatient intravenous antimicrobials and associated central lines. Most patients accepted to this monitoring and management service begin their therapy in the hospital, but the service also considers the needs of patients starting therapy as outpatients. Through their attention to line utilization, follow-up needs, antimicrobial dosing, and abnormal laboratory results the team has reduced excess antibiotic use, excess central line use, and readmissions among patients being monitored.
To set up OPAT Service support for patients leaving the hospital on i.v. antimicrobials, physicians and LIPs can contact CL_OPAT@virginia.edu or pager 9750.
Filed Under: In the Know
Tags: DOM, ID, Infectious Diseases & International Health, january 2020 medicine matters