2054. Hospital-initiated Antibiotics in Nursing Homes

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nursing homes (NHs) are required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to maintain antimicrobial stewardship programs. Hospital-initiated antibiotics may pose a barrier to optimizing antibiotic prescribing in this setting. Our objective was to characterize hospital-initiated antibiotic prescriptions among NH residents. METHODS: We collected electronic health record data on antibiotic prescribing events within 60 days of residents’ admission to 17 for-profit NHs in Oregon, California, and Nevada between January 1, and December 31, 2017. We characterized antibiotics prescribed, administration route, and proportion initiated in a hospital setting. RESULTS: Over the one-year study period, there were 4350 antibiotic prescribing events among 1633 NH residents. Mean (standard deviation) age was 77 (12) years and 58% were female. Approximately 45% (1,973/4,350) of antibiotics prescribed within 60 days of NH admission were hospital-initiated. The most frequently prescribed hospital-initiated antibiotics were cephalosporins (27%; 1st gen: 54%, 2nd gen: 6%, 3rd gen: 34%, 4th gen: 5%, 5th gen: 1%), fluoroquinolones (20%), and penicillins (14%; natural penicilins: 4%, semisynthetic penicillins: 3%, aminopenicillans: 57%, β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors: 21%, and antipseudomonal penicillins: 15%). Additionally, 24% of antibiotics were parenteral and the median (interquartile range) duration of therapy was 6 (3–10) days. Over 15% of residents with hospital-initiated antibiotics were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. CONCLUSION: Approximately 45% of antibiotic prescribing in a multistate sample of NHs were hospital-initiated, of which roughly 40% was broad-spectrum. Interventions specifically targeting antibiotic prescribing during and following the transition from hospitals to NHs are needed. DISCLOSURES: All authors: No reported disclosures.