title: Improving severe sepsis outcomes: cost and time to first antibiotic dose.
abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effect of an empiric antimicrobial guide on clinical and economic outcomes related to severe sepsis. As all critical care nurses know, severe sepsis is often life-threatening. The study found that an empiric antimicrobial guide specific for severe sepsis was associated with a reduced length of stay, a significantly earlier time to first dose antibiotic, and significantly lower total and variable hospital costs.
authors.affiliation: PharmD, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Rangel College of Pharmacy, 319 SRPH Administration Bldg, MS-1266, College Station, TX 77843, USA. Hutchison@tamhsc.edu
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hutchison
authors.forename: D Angeleena
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Govathoti
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fehlis
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Janet H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cottrell
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.forename: G Mark
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Montgomery
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents