Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) began in the 1970s in the United States. It is estimated that 1 in 1000 Americans receives OPAT each year. OPAT should only be considered in select patients. There are minimal data on using OPAT in patients with substance abuse. A patient's home setting should be assessed before discharge. Consider obtaining written consent from the patient or caregiver before discharging on OPAT. Communication is a key component for an OPAT team. Only certain antimicrobials are candidates for continuous infusion at home. Tracking outcomes with OPAT is important to validate safety and efficacy of care provided.