title: The cost of a recalcitrant intravenous drug user with serial cases of endocarditis: Need for guidelines to improve the continuum of care.
abstract: We report a case of an intravenous drug user (IVDU) patient who had 4 episodes of endocarditis within a 2-year time period in rural Georgia. The institutional cost was approximately $380,000. The lack of an established transitional care plan for IVDUs to outpatient care is a common phenomenon at institutions. Guidelines are essential to optimize the quality of care rendered to IVDUs with such infections, to assist providers in utilizing limited resources, and to limit the cost to the institutions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States; Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Claudia R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Libertin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN, United States; Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Ulas M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Camsari
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States.
authors.forename: Walter C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hellinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN, United States.
authors.forename: Terry D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Schneekloth
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States; Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN, United States.
authors.forename: Teresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Rummans
keywords: IV substance use disorder with life-threatening infection