Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 November 2018
To quantify the frequency and outcomes of receiving an antibiotic prescription upon discharge from the hospital to long-term care facilities (LTCFs).
Retrospective cohort study.
A 576-bed, academic hospital in Portland, Oregon.
Adult inpatients (≥18 years of age) discharged to an LTCF between January 1, 2012, and June 30, 2016.
Our primary outcome was receiving a systemic antibiotic prescription upon discharge to an LTCF. We also quantified the association between receiving an antibiotic prescription and 30-day hospital readmission, 30-day emergency department (ED) visit, and Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) on a readmission or ED visit at the index facility within 60 days of discharge.
Among 6,701 discharges to an LTCF, 22.9% were prescribed antibiotics upon discharge. The most prevalent antibiotic classes prescribed were cephalosporins (20.4%), fluoroquinolones (19.1%), and penicillins (16.7%). The medical records of ~82% of patients included a diagnosis code for a bacterial infection on the index admission. Among patients prescribed an antibiotic upon discharge, the incidence of 30-day hospital readmission to the index facility was 15.9%, the incidence of 30-day ED visit at the index facility was 11.0%, and the incidence of CDI on a readmission or ED visit within 60 days of discharge was 1.6%. Receiving an antibiotic prescription upon discharge was significantly associated with 30-day ED visits (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.5) and with CDI within 60 days (aOR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.02–2.8) but not with 30-day readmissions (aOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.9–1.2).
Antibiotics were frequently prescribed upon discharge to LTCFs, which may be associated with increased risk of poor outcomes post discharge.
PREVIOUS PRESENTATION: These data were presented in part at the 2016 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exposition on December 6, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and at the 2017 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exposition on December 5, 2017, in Orlando, Florida.
Cite this article: Weber Bo R. (2019). Antibiotic prescribing upon discharge from the hospital to long-term care facilities: Implications for antimicrobial stewardship requirements in post-acute settings. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology 2019, 40, 18–23. doi: 10.1017/ice.2018.288