Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) Service

The Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) Service is a outpatient intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy, which enables patients to return home earlier, thereby shortening the duration of hospitalization and at the same time reducing the risk of contracting a hospital-acquired infection (nosocomial infection). This Therapy is suitable for a wide range of infectious diseases. OPAT is part of the international standard for antimicrobial therapy options.

OPAT at USZ

• The OPAT program is offered by the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology at USZ
• We support various OPAT systems:
  – OPAT given by patients themselves at home (self-administered OPAT)
  – OPAT given in the outpatients department (Hospital-OPAT)
  – OPAT given by Spitex or a general practitioner at home (Homecare-OPAT)
• The suitability for OPAT is determined by an interdisciplinary team including doctors, specialist nurses, interventional radiologists and pharmacologists. The therapy is performed in consultation with the general practitioner.

Infections suitable for OPAT

• Complicated urinary tract infections
• Skin and soft tissue infections
• Infections within blood vessels or the heart (endocarditis, endovascular foreign body-associated infections)
• Central nervous system infections such as neurosyphilis
• Bone infections (including foreign body-associated bone infections)
• Complicated abdominal infections
• Lung Infections

Professional care provided by qualified OPAT nurses

• Evaluation of the vascular situation and selection of the most appropriate option for vascular access (e.g. peripherally-inserted central catheter for long-term intravenous antibiotic administration, peripheral venous catheter for shorter courses of treatment)
• Organization of appointments at the day clinic and at the outpatient clinic of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology
• Approval of costs via the patient’s health insurance provider
• Patient information

Additional services provided by the medical day clinic in cooperation with the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Hospital Hygiene

• Administration of the i.v. therapy
• Wound checks / dressing changes

Antibiotics currently offered as OPAT

• Ceftriaxone IV 1-2x / d
• Daptomycin IV 1x / d
• Ertapenem IV 1x / d
• Flucloxacillin IV continuously over 24h via elastomeric pump
• Penicillin IV continuously over 24h via elastomeric pump
• Piperacillin / tazobactam IV continuously over 24h via elastomeric pump
• Cefepime IV continuously over 24h via elastomeric pump
• Cefazolin IV continuously over 24h via elastomeric pump