125. Antimicrobial Stewardship Hospital Activities to Promote Antibiotic Awareness Week 2019, Chicago, IL

Abstract Background U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) is an annual campaign to increase knowledge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threats and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. USAAW will be observed November 18-24, 2021 in cadence with World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. Methods In October 2019, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) surveyed 25 Chicago acute care hospital (ACH) antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) via REDCap, an electronic data capture system, to assess their planned activities for USAAW in November 2019. Survey results from 14 (56%) respondent ACHs were collated and disseminated to all 25 ACHs prior to USAAW. Results ACH ASP survey responses were categorized by ACH size: smaller hospitals (SH) < 350 beds (n=7) and larger hospitals (LH) > 350 beds (n=7) and displayed in the Table. Nine respondents were Infectious Disease (ID) Pharmacists, 3 were ID Physicians, 1 was an Administrator and 1 was an Infection Prevention Nurse. Among SHs, the ASP was funded for an ID Pharmacist salaried position (FTE) < 0.5 at 4 ACHs, 0.5 in 2, and 1 FTE at 1 ACH. LHs reported ID Pharmacist funding ranging from < 0.5 – 2.5 FTE, with the majority with 1 FTE at 3 LHs. All ACHs reported 0.5 FTE or less ID Physician support for their ASPs. Eleven (79%) of respondent ACHs did not report an annual budget for ASP activities. Ten (71%) ACHs disagreed or strongly disagreed that funding was adequate in the outpatient setting compared to inpatient both for adult and pediatric ASP services. Types of planned activities for USAAW included social media posts, provider education, digital displays, and/or go-live with a new antimicrobial policy. Top three barriers to ASP advancements were financial considerations (n=9), competing responsibilities for ASP leads (n=7), and tied for third was personnel shortages (n=6) and other clinical initiatives with higher priority (n=6). Conclusion Public Health Departments can facilitate assessment of ACH ASPs within their jurisdiction to identify ways to advance the ASP agenda and combat AMR. A variety of strategies were used by Chicago ACHs to promote ASP initiatives during USAAW. Challenges continue with inadequate funding, especially in outpatient settings. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


Antimicrobial Stewardship Hospital Activities to Promote Antibiotic Awareness
Week 2019, Chicago, IL Amy P. Hanson, PharmD, BCPS AQ-ID 1 ; Kelly Walblay, MPH 1 ; Elizabeth Shane, MPH, CIC 1 ; Shannon N. Xydis 1 ; Massimo Pacilli, MS, MPH 1 ; Do Young Kim, MD 2 ; Stephanie R. Black, MD, MSc 1 ; 1 Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago, Illinois; 2 Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois Session: P-07. Antimicrobial Stewardship: Program Development and Implementation Background. U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) is an annual campaign to increase knowledge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threats and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. USAAW will be observed November 18-24, 2021 in cadence with World Antimicrobial Awareness Week.
Methods. In October 2019, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) surveyed 25 Chicago acute care hospital (ACH) antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) via REDCap, an electronic data capture system, to assess their planned activities for USAAW in November 2019. Survey results from 14 (56%) respondent ACHs were collated and disseminated to all 25 ACHs prior to USAAW.
Results. ACH ASP survey responses were categorized by ACH size: smaller hospitals (SH) < 350 beds (n=7) and larger hospitals (LH) > 350 beds (n=7) and displayed in the Table. Nine respondents were Infectious Disease (ID) Pharmacists, 3 were ID Physicians, 1 was an Administrator and 1 was an Infection Prevention Nurse. Among SHs, the ASP was funded for an ID Pharmacist salaried position (FTE) < 0.5 at 4 ACHs, 0.5 in 2, and 1 FTE at 1 ACH. LHs reported ID Pharmacist funding ranging from < 0.5 -2.5 FTE, with the majority with 1 FTE at 3 LHs. All ACHs reported 0.5 FTE or less ID Physician support for their ASPs. Eleven (79%) of respondent ACHs did not report an annual budget for ASP activities. Ten (71%) ACHs disagreed or strongly disagreed that funding was adequate in the outpatient setting compared to inpatient both for adult and pediatric ASP services. Types of planned activities for USAAW included social media posts, provider education, digital displays, and/or go-live with a new antimicrobial policy. Top three barriers to ASP advancements were financial considerations (n=9), competing responsibilities for ASP leads (n=7), and tied for third was personnel shortages (n=6) and other clinical initiatives with higher priority (n=6). S176 • OFID 2021:8 (Suppl 1) • Abstracts Conclusion. Public Health Departments can facilitate assessment of ACH ASPs within their jurisdiction to identify ways to advance the ASP agenda and combat AMR. A variety of strategies were used by Chicago ACHs to promote ASP initiatives during USAAW. Challenges continue with inadequate funding, especially in outpatient settings.
Disclosures. Background. The majority of human antimicrobial utilization occurs in the outpatient setting. Despite being mainly viral in etiology, upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) were the most common indication for outpatient antimicrobial prescriptions at our institution.
Methods. Through our electronic health record (EHR), we were able to determine our rate of antibiotic prescriptions for inappropriate URI diagnosis at our primary care practice sites. We selected staff volunteers from each our primary care practice sites to serve as stewardship champions. They were given training in stewardship best practices, and an URI stewardship toolkit which included viral URI prescription pad, EHR order panel, and patient education signage. They were tasked with providing education and feedback to their practice sites. We meet with them on a monthly basis to disseminate prescribing data and education. They also provided feedback from practice sites to the stewardship committee.
Results. Our decentralized model was put in place in November 2020. In the 6 months prior to the intervention, the average prescribing rate was 29.1%. In the 6 months after the intervention, the average prescribing rate decreased by 15% to 24.8%. During the intervention phase, there was an increase in number of non-COVID URIs diagnosed at our primary care sites.

Temporal Trend in Inappropriate Antibiotics Prescribing Rates for Viral URIs Preand Post-Intervention
Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing rate for viral upper respiratory tract infections from May 2020 until May 2021. Intervention started in December 2021 (arrow). Preintervention average was 29.1%. Post-intervention age was 24.8% which is a 15% decline in prescribing rate.

Viral Upper Respiratory Infections Visits
The total number of visits for presumed viral upper respiratory infections to primary care sites from May 2020 until May 2021. The majority of COVID-19 precautions in the area expired at the end of March 2021. Conclusion. We have been able to lower our inappropriate prescriptions for URIs utilizing a decentralized model of stewardship champions. This result was especially notable as the intervention phase corresponded with the end of COVID-19 precautions and an increase in non-COVID URIs diagnosed. The advantage of this approach includes an advocate embedded at each practice site who is familiar with the opportunities and challenges of the site, and a two-way flow of information from practice sites to the stewardship committee. This model provided additional benefit during the COVID-19 pandemic as the ability of centralized staff to travel to off campus clinic sites was curtailed.
Disclosures. Background. Due to variability in the precision of an MIC, concern may exist in optimizing PK/PD using standard doses when the MIC is at the susceptibility breakpoint (SBP). This is notable when treating infections in critically ill patients. Evaluating MIC distributions among commonly used antibiotics and accounting for isolates at the SBP represents an additional enhancement to inform empiric therapy. The aim of the study was to evaluate antibiotic susceptibility for commonly used β-lactams against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) in a syndromic antibiogram, incorporating MIC distribution.
Methods. 20 US institutions submitted yearly up to 250 consecutive targeted Gram-negative pathogens from hospitalized patients as part of the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART) in 2016-2019. MICs were determined by broth microdilution and interpreted using 2021 CLSI breakpoints. The syndromic antibiogram included PA from a blood or respiratory source based on patient location. Based on CLSI guidance, an empiric antibiotic susceptibility threshold of ≥ 90% was deemed optimal.
Results. 2,500 PA blood (n=680) and respiratory (n=1,820) isolates were evaluated; piperacillin/tazobactam (P/T), cefepime (FEP), meropenem (MEM), and ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) susceptibilities were 69.6%, 74.2%, 75.3%, and 95%, respectively ( Figure 1). Isolates with MICs at the SBP were observed in 12.1%, 18.7%, 7.5%, and 6.5% for P/T, FEP, MEM, and C/T, respectively. Susceptibilities were lower when stratified by ICU, 64.8%, 71.2%, 70.7%, and 93.7% for P/T, FEP, MEM, and C/T, respectively with a similar frequency of SBP isolates (Figure 2).  Conclusion. Our analysis demonstrated that first line antipseudomonal agents, P/T and FEP, have susceptibility rates lower than the CLSI recommended threshold. A significant portion of the MICs within the susceptible range are at the SBP. Due to the frequency of baseline resistance and challenge in achieving adequate PK/PD in critically ill patients, clinicians may be concerned with relying on certain antibiotics when the MIC is at the SBP. Antimicrobial stewardship programs should consider incorporating MIC distributions into syndromic antibiograms to better inform empiric therapy recommendations.