Indianapolis, Indiana (PRWEB) June 26, 2017 -- Indianapolis, IN - The Indiana Health Care Foundation (IHCF) recently awarded a total of $39,000 to two recipients implementing programs focused on advancing the standard of care for preventing and treating infections in post-acute and long term care settings. IHCF recognizes the importance of preventing and treating infections, particularly in this vulnerable population. These infections lead to the loss of tens of thousands of lives and cost the U.S. health care system billions of dollars each year.
According to the 2013 National Action Plan to Prevent Health-Care Associated Infections, published by the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, antimicrobials account for approximately 40% of all systemic drugs prescribed in long term care facilities; the likelihood is 50-70% that a resident will receive at least one course of a systemic antimicrobial agent during a one-year period. Studies estimate that 25-75% of systemic antibiotic use may be inappropriate in the long term care setting. All this antibiotic exposure carries the risk of adverse drug reactions and complications and it promotes the emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). A study of NH/SNF data aggregated from five states calculated the incidence of antibiotic resistant infections among 56,000 long-term care residents in skilled nursing facilities as 12.7 per 1,000 residents in a one year period.
Both grantees’ programs focus on the development and implementation of evidence-based antibiotic/antimicrobial stewardship programs targeting the appropriate treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) – the most common infection in post-acute and long term care settings.
Grantees’ project summaries are as follows:
• Community Long Term Care (Anderson, IN): The $19,500 grant award supports a multi-faceted project focused on the development and implementation of clinical assessment and reporting of symptoms related to urinary tract infections in the long term care setting. Additionally, Community Long Term Care will use grant funds toward the development and implementation of educational programming regarding infection control and prevention for all stakeholders in the long term care setting: residents and their family members, facility leadership, clinical and other facility staff, as well as any outside vendors. The grantee will further focus on reporting of economic impacts of an effective antimicrobial stewardship program in a long term care setting. The program will be implemented in three of Community Long Term Care’s central Indiana facilities, including Community Parkview in Elwood, Summit Convalescent Center in Summitville, and Community Northview in Anderson.
• Grandview Pharmacy (Brownsburg, IN): The $19,500 grant award supports the full implementation of a comprehensive antimicrobial stewardship program in partnership with Byron Health Center, a non-profit, QAPI certified facility that provides long term health care, memory care, skilled nursing with physical and occupational therapy in Fort Wayne, IN. The grantee’s primary goal is to reduce the overall urinary tract infection rate at Byron while significantly reducing the number of prescribed antibiotic therapies and related incidences of adverse drug reactions. Accordingly, the grantee anticipates an increased utilization in appropriate antibiotic agents, based on adherence to the Johns Hopkins Prescribing Guidelines. As an added benefit, the grantee aims to see an overall reduction in costs to the health care system related to Medicare Part D and Indiana Medicaid spend on antibiotic therapies.
“The lessons learned through implementation of these antibiotic stewardship and infection control programs could help support efforts of other facilities in the region,” said Dr. Kathleen Unroe, IHCF Grants Committee Chair. “The IHCF Grants Committee is committed to funding projects that tackle some of greatest challenges in post-acute and long term care – the prevention and treatment of infections is high priority for patients and families.”
About the Indiana Health Care Foundation
IHCF is a statewide non-profit organization working to further knowledge, education, information, and understanding in the areas of health care, wellness, and services to the aged and chronically ill. For more information on IHCF and its programs, visit http://www.indianahealthcarefoundation.org or contact Emily Berger, Executive Director, at [email protected] or 317-616-9036.
Kate Vaulter, Indiana Health Care Association/Indiana Center for Assisted Living, http://www.ihca.org, +1 (317) 616-9002, [email protected]
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