Abstract
Background
Participation in the Antibiotic Use (AU) option of the National Health Safety Network (NHSN), provides medical facilities with the Standardized Antibiotic Administration Ratio (SAAR), a normalized ratio of facility antibiotic use. However, the range of antibiotic use by similar facilities is not provided and thus the opportunity to “nudge” behavior by comparing use with “best facilities” is lost. We developed reports of variations of antibiotic use that allow comparisons of local antibiotic use with that of 107 other VA facilities.
Methods
Data for 2018 were extracted from the VA Corporate Data Warehouse. Antibiotic use in CY2018 on acute inpatient care units was assessed as days of therapy (using CDC-defined drug classes) per 1000 days-present. In addition, we assessed the proportion of patients with pneumonia, urinary tract infections or skin-soft-tissue infections (collectively, PUS) who received anti-MRSA therapy or ß-lactam therapy directed against multi-drug-resistant and hospital GNR (anti-MDRGNR) during hospital days 0–2 (CHOICE, a timeframe representing empiric therapy).
Results
Rates of total antibiotic use by VA facility varied over two-fold from 460 to 965 days of therapy (DOT)/1000 days-present (DP); anti-MRSA and anti-MDRGNR varied over four-fold, from 44 to 184 and, 55 to 262, respectively. Fluoroquinolone variation was even higher, ranging over 8-fold, from 17 to 145 DOT/1000 DP (Figure 1). Substantial variations were also observed in the frequency of administration of anti-MRSA and anti-MDRGNR therapy for PUS during CHOICE (14 to 49% and 15 to 65%, respectively; Figure 2).
Conclusion
The large variations in the use of total antibiotic therapy, anti-MRSA, anti-MDRGNR and fluoroquinolone therapies are greater than can be readily explained by known variations in antibiotic resistance or differences in case-mix within the VA. Efforts are underway in the VA to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship programs. In other work, we have shown improvements in antimicrobial use among sites that have access to reports that provide the data described herein and that participate in group collaboratives. Our group is now making these data available to all VA facilities.
Disclosures
All authors: No reported disclosures.