1. A national network of infectious diseases experts.
- Author
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Marquet, A., Ollivier, F., Boutoille, D., Thibaut, S., Potel, G., and Ballereau, F.
- Subjects
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COMMUNICABLE disease diagnosis , *ANTIBIOTICS , *LONGITUDINAL method , *SCIENTIFIC observation , *MEDICAL consultation , *COMMUNICABLE diseases , *COMMUNICABLE disease treatment , *PATIENTS - Abstract
Abstract: Objectives: The aim of this study was to consider the implementation of a network of infectious diseases (ID) experts to optimize the antibiotic prescriptions of community and hospital practitioners. Methods: An observational prospective study was conducted among ID experts in the Pays-de-la-Loire Region to evaluate the number of calls and to determine the practitioner's reasons for soliciting ID expertise. For each phone consultation, four criteria were recorded during 5 days: origin of the call (internal/external), kind of question (diagnostic/therapeutic) time spent for the advice provided, type of advice. Results: A total of 386 phone consultations for 20 infectious disease specialists were recorded during the study period (5 days); 81% were internal to the hospital, 7.7% from another hospital, and 11.3% from private practice, 56.3% of the questions concerned a therapeutic strategy, 21% a diagnostic advice, and 22.6% concerned both diagnosis and therapy. Two third of the questions were answered within 10minutes. In 68.7% of cases, the ID specialist answered immediately, 19.8% of calls required following-up the patient, 6% led to refer the patient to an ID consultation, and 5.5% to hospitalization. Conclusion: The survey results stress the important need for such ID expertise, both in hospitals and in ambulatory medicine. Collaboration of ID specialists in a regional network would allow an easy and permanent access to antibiotic therapy advice for prescribers. This network would improve the quality and safety of care. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2013
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