The inpatient scenario was found to have significantly higher climate change, water use and waste impacts per patient than the three outpatient scenarios examined.
OPAT self-administered in the patient’s home resulted in a CO2eq reduction of 85%, when compared with the traditional inpatient treatment pathway. Nurse administered OPAT, either in the home or outpatient department, resulted in higher impacts than self-administration due to additional patient and nurse travel. However, the results for these scenarios still deliver a significant reduction compared to inpatient administration.
This study has demonstrated the value of appraising the sustainability of care pathways and demonstrates that OPAT, where appropriate, offers significant potential for reducing environmental impact and reducing the need for prolonged hospital stays associated with intravenous antimicrobial therapy.