ASHP 2019 News Network: The Importance of Site of Care in ABSSSI Treatment

Segment Description: Krutika N. Mediwala, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, assistant professor, College of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, highlights the importance of site of care for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection.

Interview transcript (modified slightly for readability):

So the site of care is very important right now, especially with the new drugs coming out as far as reimbursement goes, as well as the ability for our patients to get these drugs. Usually with the way they have been going, especially our lipoglycopeptides that are available for much cheaper and much more readily available in the outpatient settings. Really our most uses seen in the ED [emergency department] with patients because that's what they're been approved for. The whole point is to identify these patients in the ED or an outpatient setting, administer the drugs so we avoid them getting actually admitted in the hospital and incur all those costs as well as possible adverse events.

But the site should also get expanded to inpatient or other ambulatory settings just because access is a huge thing for a lot of patients. My institution specifically takes care of a lot of the indigenous population from rural South Carolina, so having that access, again, outpatient stewardship can help with that. So they don't have to come all the way to my institution, just to come to the ED, get this drug and then have to go drive back. It's going to be a shorter time to get that drug than they took to drive to the hospital with that. So just access to care for these patients as well as acquisition ease.