943. Cross-Sectional Survey of Antibiotic Stewardship Activities Across Kansas Healthcare Settings including Hospitals, Ambulatory Centers and Long-Term Care Facilities

Abstract

Background. Kansas ranks as the second-worst state nationally for inpatient antibiotic stewardship core element implementation. Based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's 2020 National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Annual Survey, Kansas hospitals reporting at 17% below the national average. We sought to investigate and characterize the stewardship activities healthcare facilities including hospitals, ambulatory centers, long-term care settings, among others, are engaging in, regardless of whether a formal stewardship program exists or not. Methods. A survey was drafted based on the NHSN Annual Facility Survey for hospitals and long-term care settings. The survey was distributed to antibiotic stewardship experts and revised based on input. Surveys were distributed electronically from December 2021 through April 2022 via direct communication through Kansas Department of Health and Environment contacts, and partner organization dissemination. Results. A total of 95 programs responded to the survey. Facilities from 55 of 106 counties responded. 52 of the 95 responses were from critical access hospitals. The facility representation is shown in Fig 1. 33% facilities reported not having a formal ASP. Thirty-five percent of those with formal ASP have had it for 2 years or less. 53% of respondents found it challenging to establish an ASP. About 58% of respondents felt their facility leadership was committed to improving antibiotic use. Accountability amongst all respondents was poor with only 55% reporting a physician/ surgeon/dentist leader responsible for ASP activities. The most common activities implemented were clinical decision pathways and audit, and feedback (19% each), followed by guidelines (15%), dosing or duration optimization strategies (13%), with the least implemented being peer comparison (8%), prophylactic guidelines (5.5%) and pre-authorization (5.5%) as seen infigure 2. Figure 1 - Number of responses per facility type Figure 2: Actions reported (all healthcare facilities) Conclusion. There have been ongoing endeavors to start ASPs, but these appear to have been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of adequate support from facility leadership and lack of leadership representation in antibiotic stewardship. Further efforts are needed in developing and supporting antibiotic stewardship activities across facilities in Kansas.