Dr. Vaughn and Dr. Szymczak Secure AHRQ Funding for Innovative Antibiotic Study
In a major stride towards advancing patient care and combating antibiotic overuse, Dr. Valerie Vaughn and Dr. Julia Szymczak have recently been awarded a prestigious R01 grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). This significant achievement will support the Reducing Overuse of Antibiotics at Discharge (ROAD) Home clinical trial, a groundbreaking 40-hospital cluster randomized study aimed at enhancing antibiotic prescribing practices during hospital discharge.
Antibiotic overuse substantially threatens public health by increasing the risk of antibiotic resistance and subjecting patients to unnecessary side effects. It is an issue of critical concern, as antibiotics prescribed at the time of hospital discharge account for approximately half of all antibiotic use associated with hospital stays in the United States (U.S.). Even more concerning, they contribute to up to 90% of days of antibiotic overuse linked to hospitalization. Addressing this challenge is essential to safeguard individual patient well-being and the collective fight against antibiotic resistance.
Dr. Valerie Vaughn, an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine (DGIM), and Dr. Julia Szymczak, an Associate Professor in the Division of Epidemiology, are Co-Directors of the Utah Quality Advancement Laboratory (UQuAL). Their visionary project, funded by a $2.5 million grant from AHRQ (1R01HS029482-01),
aims to tailor antibiotic stewardship interventions to participating hospitals' specific needs and resources. This approach recognizes the diverse challenges faced by healthcare institutions and seeks to ensure that all patients, wherever they receive care, can get access to the benefits of antibiotic stewardship.
The ROAD Home trial will test the impact of a novel participatory and adaptive approach to antibiotic stewardship. During the intervention period, the ROAD Home team will study the implementation process across hospitals, to understand real-world challenges and successes.
As this groundbreaking research project unfolds, it is sure that Dr. Valerie Vaughn and Dr. Julia Szymczak's work will continue to garner attention and recognition for its potential to improve patient outcomes, reduce antibiotic resistance, and enhance the quality of healthcare delivery in U.S. hospitals.
