A 9-Point Risk Assessment for Patients Who Inject Drugs and Require Intravenous Antibiotics: Focusing Inpatient Resources on Patients at Greatest Risk of Ongoing Drug Use

Clin Infect Dis. 2019 Mar 5;68(6):1041-1043. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciy722.

Abstract

A 9-point risk assessment identified persons with a history of injection drug use who were safe for discharge. "Low-risk" patients were discharged with outpatient antibiotics; others continued inpatient treatment. Use of the assessment reduced the mean length of stay by 20 days and total direct cost by 33%, creating capacity for an additional 333 patients.

Keywords: cost; endocarditis; hospitalization; injection drug use; length of stay; readmission.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intravenous
  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Drug Users*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infection Control*
  • Infections / drug therapy
  • Infections / epidemiology*
  • Infections / etiology
  • Inpatients*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Substance-Related Disorders / complications
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents