Residents and Fellows Research in Progress
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
08:30 AM–10:00 AM
Abstract
Introduction:
Beta-lactam allergies in the U.S. are widely reported, with 10% of patients reporting an allergy to penicillins. Of these patients, only 1% of patients have a true IgE mediated allergy. Healthcare provider actions when addressing allergy alerts in the electronic medical record may provide some insight into addressing potential lower risk penicillin allergies in acute care settings.
Research Question or Hypothesis:
To evaluate health care providers (HCPs) responses to penicillin allergy alerts in the electronic medical record (EMR).
Study Design:
Single center, retrospective chart review.
Methods:
Hospitalized patients aged 18 years or older admitted to an acute care floor with a documented penicillin allergy were included. De-identified medication order reports were generated from the EMR and evaluated to assess HCP response to penicillin allergy alerts associated with randomly selected antibiotic medication orders. Descriptive statistics were used.
Results:
100 random penicillin allergy alerts were evaluated for HCP responses to the alerts. 56% of the alerts were acted upon by a pharmacist, 40% by a physician, 2% by a physician assistant, and 2% by a nurse. Antibiotics that triggered the allergy alerts include penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems. 45% of orders that physicians acted on were more likely to acknowledge the choice that suggests confirmation of patient history and tolerance to penicillin, while 36% of orders that pharmacists acted on suggests their acknowledgement of the alert is mostly based on prescriber approval. Additional data collection is in progress.
Conclusion:
Pending the results of our study, this study aims to obtain an updated perspective on allergy alerts in the EMR and recognize factors that influence provider responses to these alerts. We aim to identify areas of improvement with drug allergy management, areas of education for HCPs, and possibly identifying a patient population to use a validated risk stratification tool like PEN-FAST to determine safe beta-lactam administration in the setting of beta-lactam allergies.
Presenting Author
Chidi Ekwueme Pharm.D.Texas Tech University Health Science Center
Authors
Taryn Bainum Pharm.D., BCPS, BCCCP, BCIDP
Northwest Texas Healthcare System
Emily Buatois Pharm.D., BCPS
Ohio State University