Outpatient Antibiotic Optimization
Outpatient antibiotic optimization extends the principles of antimicrobial stewardship into community and ambulatory care settings, where a significant proportion of antibiotics are prescribed. It emphasizes appropriate prescribing practices for common infections by ensuring antibiotics are only used when necessary and that the right agent, dose, and duration are selected. Given that inappropriate outpatient prescribing is a key driver of antimicrobial resistance, optimizing antibiotic use in these settings is critical to slowing its spread and improving population health. Strategies include clinician education, evidence‑based guidelines, patient engagement, and monitoring prescribing patterns to reduce unnecessary use. By promoting responsible antibiotic use outside the hospital, outpatient optimization helps minimize adverse effects, reduce resistance, and support more efficient, high‑quality care across the broader healthcare system.
Current Projects
Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy, or OPAT, enables patients to safely receive IV antibiotics in community settings, reducing hospital stays and lowering costs. To advance this model, our team is developing a multi-site clinical registry across St. Paul’s, Lions Gate, and Vancouver General Hospitals. This registry will capture standardized clinical data and outcomes to generate actionable insights into treatment effectiveness, safety, and program performance. OPAT-CORE provides a foundation for continuous quality improvement, better antibiotic use, and data-driven decision-making, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and strengthening health system efficiency and collaboration.
Randomized controlled trials in management of antibiotic-resistant organisms, gram-negative bacteremia, and S. aureus bacteremia. Researcher: Dr Kevin Afra