OPAT (outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy)

Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy

• Outpatient indicates that the treatment does not take place during hospitalisation.
• Parenteral means that the medication is administered intravenously (injected into a blood vessel) or intramuscularly (injected into the muscle).
• Antimicrobial refers to medicines that are active against micro-organisms that can cause (serious) infections. In some cases, intravenous antibiotics are more effective than oral antibiotics or there is no oral alternative available.
• subcutaneously implanted port catheter (Port-A-Cath);
• long line or PICC/Midline inserted into an arm vein
• or a central catheter.

The main purpose of the OPAT programme is to allow you to complete the treatment efficiently in the safety of your own comfortable home environment, so that you can resume your daily activities as soon as possible. You must give your consent in advance as a patient or guardian (consent form).

Where do I get my medicines?

The antibiotics are available from the hospital pharmacy. You will receive more information in the hospital about the internal guidelines.

Where do I get the materials for administration?

Some of the material is provided by the home nurse (syringes/needles, etc.) and the rest will be provided at the hospital when you go home. You should come for a consultation with the infectiologist one week after discharge; after that, a consultation will be scheduled every two weeks. During the consultation, new material is given for a maximum of 2 weeks. In case of early termination (due to complications,...) no material can be taken back by the hospital.

Who administers the medicines?

The medicines are administered by a home care nurse who will visit you at home. The medication is administered into your blood vessel via a catheter.
There are several types of catheters available:

The choice of a particular type depends on a number of factors, such as the quality of the veins and the expected duration of antibiotic treatment.

Is this safe?

OPAT is a safe way to continue your drug treatment at home. The first doses of your treatment will be administered in hospital so that your reaction to the medicine can be monitored. Allergic reactions can occur with any medicinal product. In case of symptoms such as skin rash, swelling in the face or difficulty breathing, you should immediately inform your GP or home care nurse.

How long does the treatment last?

The duration of treatment depends on the nature of the infection. You can ask your doctor for more information about this.

How much does OPAT cost?

The medicines themselves will in most cases be reimbursed by the NIHDI (partially/full) subject to approval of the certificate by the advisory doctor of the health insurance fund. You pay a contribution for the medical materials. You may also be entitled to an additional reimbursement from your hospitalisation insurance. Our social service will visit you during the hospitalisation to discuss this.