Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT)

Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) is an integral part of clinical infectious diseases. Fellows have ample opportunity to manage and learn about patients on outpatient intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy. At RUSH University Medical Center (RUMC), fellows will make decisions regarding appropriateness of antibiotic selection, route of administration, and duration of therapy. These patients are transitioned to the OPAT team, which consists of infectious disease physicians, led by Dr. Hernandez-Guarin and an advance practice provider, as well as infusion nurses - who help obtain lab results, communicate with home health agencies, and work with clinicians on outpatient IV antibiotic management. Fellows will have further exposure to OPAT patients during their RUMC clinic rotation and get exposure to common troubleshooting issues such as maintaining peripherally-inserted central catheter (PICC) lines and antibiotic dose adjustments.