OPAT: Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy

Discover the function, role and limitations of an OPAT service

OPAT is a clinical service which enables patients with serious infection to be managed in an outpatient setting. The service aims to facilitate admission avoidance or early hospital discharge.

On this course, you will be introduced to the concept of OPAT. You’ll start by looking at the roles and responsibilities within the multi-disciplinary OPAT team.

Next, you’ll examine the importance of patient selection and antimicrobial choice, followed by device selection and monitoring.

By the end of the course, you’ll know how to develop an OPAT service in your own setting.

The course is aimed at healthcare professionals who are interested in developing an OPAT service.

The course is aimed at healthcare professionals who are interested in developing an OPAT service.

• Identify the function, role and limitations of OPAT in modern health care
• Compare the different roles and responsibilities within the multi-disciplinary OPAT team and reflect on how other health care providers may contribute to the service
• Explain how patient selection, antimicrobial choice and device selection and monitoring are crucial to achieving optimal outcome
• Explore how OPAT relates to the wider antimicrobial stewardship agenda and health care governance
• Apply antimicrobial stewardship principles to clinical OPAT practice