Photo Credit: Eugene Nekrasov

A study published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association revealed how one-time doses of IV antibiotics in the ED, impacted patient outcomes and costs. While prior research suggests no significant benefit from this practice, its prevalence persists. Aaron W. Brown, PharmD, and colleagues examined the difference in total costs and duration of ED stay between patients who received a one-time IV antibiotic dose versus those who did not. Their analysis of 204 patient cases revealed that administering one-time IV antibiotics led to an average ED stay of 4.55 hours compared with 2.82 hours for patients discharged on oral antibiotics alone. Additionally, the patients who received IV antibiotics incurred an additional cost of approximately $556 per patient, amounting to over $56,000 across the study cohort. Dr. Brown and colleagues concluded that their findings underscore the lack of tangible benefits associated with one-time IV antibiotic administration in the ED.