Lessons Learned: The Varied Responses of Massachusetts' Local Health Departments During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Context: Massachusetts' decentralized public health model holds tightly to its founding principle of home rule and a board of health system established in 1799. Consequently, Massachusetts has more local health departments (n = 351) than any other state. During COVID-19, each health department, steeped in centuries of independence, launched its own response to the pandemic.

Evaluation of Discharge Opioid Prescribing in Coronary Artery Bypass Patients Following an Opioid Stewardship Intervention for Providers.

Opioid stewardship efforts can promote safe and effective use of opioids to optimize pain control and minimize unintended consequences. The purpose of this study is to assess the difference in post-operative opioid discharge prescribing in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery following implementation of a tripartite opioid stewardship intervention. This was a single-center, quality improvement study at a large, quaternary academic medical center.

Bacteremia in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis: Prevalence and Predictors of Multidrug Resistant Organisms.

Goals: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and predictors of multidrug resistant organisms (MDRO) in cirrhotic patients with bacteremia at a large tertiary center in the United States.

Background: The epidemiology of bacteremia in patients with liver cirrhosis has not been well studied in the United States.

Study: This case-case control study included 180 adults with liver cirrhosis hospitalized from 2011 to 2015.

Safety and Effectiveness of Factor VIII Inhibitor Bypassing Activity (FEIBA) and Fresh Frozen Plasma in Oral Anticoagulant-Associated Intracranial Hemorrhage: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Oral anticoagulant (OAT)-associated intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a life-threatening emergency for which prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC) are considered first-line reversal agents. The only approved PCC in the USA for warfarin-associated ICH is non-activated PCC. Little data are available regarding the safety and effectiveness of factor VIII inhibitor bypassing activity (FEIBA) which is an activated prothrombin complex concentrate (aPCC).

An institutional review of antimicrobial stewardship interventions.

In order to combat increasing rates of bacterial resistance, many institutions have implemented antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) to improve antibiotic use. To ascertain the potential impact of our stewardship programme at Baylor St Luke's Medical Center (Houston, TX), antimicrobial-related interventions were analysed over a 4-year period. ASP recommendations related to antimicrobial therapy from 2009 to 2012 were retrieved from the hospital electronic database and were retrospectively reviewed.

Antibiogram compliance in University HealthSystem Consortium participating hospitals with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.

Purpose: The degree of compliance with antibiogram guidance among University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) hospitals was analyzed.

Methods: The UHC Pharmacy Council Pharmacy Practice Advancement Committee conducted a survey to evaluate hospital policies regarding the generation, reporting, and utilization of antibiograms among UHC hospitals. The survey was distributed via a UHC online survey tool to pharmacy directors at 237 UHC hospitals.

Improving patient care through implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program.

Purpose: The implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program at a health system is described.

Summary: In 2008, the Center for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Epidemiology (CASE) was formed at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital (SLEH) to improve the quality of care for patients as it related to antimicrobial therapy.