Patient-reported outcome measures in an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy program– a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Conventional perspectives that solely consider clinical outcomes and costs fail to acknowledge the patient's perspective. Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) has become a global standard in antimicrobial therapy. The objective of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate the influence of our local OPAT program on Health-Related Quality of Life (HrQoL) using Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs). This approach gave us an alternative perspective of high patient satisfaction further underlining the importance of OPAT for patients. Methods Sociodemographic data, treatment details and outcomes were prospectively recorded for all patients enrolled in the University Hospital Zurich’s OPAT program. Eligible patients underwent interviews pre-discharge and 7-14 days post-discharge (in person or via phone) between October 2020 and September 2022. The assessments utilized a shortened, four-domain version of the validated Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire, complemented by four additional questions gauging patient satisfaction. Results Thirty-three patients participated in the study. Univariate analysis revealed substantial improvement in three of the four SF-36 domains. Specifically, participants reported enhanced role emotional (p=0.038), social functioning (p=0.003) and emotional well-being (p=0.003). Furthermore, 97% of patients would recommend OPAT to others. Conclusion OPAT significantly impacts HRQoL and yields high patient satisfaction. Hospitals considering new OPAT programs should include both patient satisfaction and HRQoL impact in their argument repertoire for the introduction of OPAT.