Harm reduction for the treatment of patients with severe injection-related infections: description of the Jackson SIRI Team

Introduction Hospitalizations for severe injection-related infections (SIRI), such as endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) are increasingly common. People who inject drugs (PWID) experiencing SIRIs often receive inadequate substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: David P. Serota, Hansel E. Tookes, Belén Hervera, Babley M. Gayle, Cara R. Roeck, Edward Suarez, David W. Forrest, Michael A. Kolber, Tyler S. Bartholomew, Allan E. Rodriguez, Susanne Doblecki-Lewis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2021-01-01
Series:Annals of Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2021.1993326
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849340293824905216
author David P. Serota
Hansel E. Tookes
Belén Hervera
Babley M. Gayle
Cara R. Roeck
Edward Suarez
David W. Forrest
Michael A. Kolber
Tyler S. Bartholomew
Allan E. Rodriguez
Susanne Doblecki-Lewis
author_facet David P. Serota
Hansel E. Tookes
Belén Hervera
Babley M. Gayle
Cara R. Roeck
Edward Suarez
David W. Forrest
Michael A. Kolber
Tyler S. Bartholomew
Allan E. Rodriguez
Susanne Doblecki-Lewis
author_sort David P. Serota
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Hospitalizations for severe injection-related infections (SIRI), such as endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) are increasingly common. People who inject drugs (PWID) experiencing SIRIs often receive inadequate substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and lack of access to harm reduction services. This translates into lengthy hospitalizations with high rates of patient-directed discharge, readmissions, and post-hospitalization mortality. The purpose of this study was to describe the development of an integrated “SIRI Team” and its initial barriers and facilitators to success.Materials and methods The Jackson SIRI Team was developed to improve both hospital and patient-level outcomes for individuals hospitalized with SIRIs at Jackson Memorial Hospital, a 1550-bed public hospital in Miami, Florida, United States. The SIRI Team provides integrated infectious disease and SUD treatment across the healthcare system starting from the inpatient setting and continuing for 90-days post-hospital discharge. The team uses a harm reduction approach, provides care coordination, focuses on access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and utilizes a variety of infection and addiction treatment modalities to suit each individual patient.Results Over the initial 8-months of the SIRI Team, 21 patients were treated with 20 surviving until discharge. Infections included osteomyelitis, endocarditis, bacteraemia/fungemia, SSTIs, and septic arthritis. All patients had OUD and 95% used stimulants. All patients were discharged on MOUD and 95% completed their prescribed antibiotic course. At 90-days post-discharge, 25% had been readmitted and 70% reported taking MOUD.Conclusions A model of integrated infectious disease and SUD care for the treatment of SIRIs has the potential to improve infection and addiction outcomes. Providing attentive, patient-centered care, using a harm reduction approach can facilitate engagement of this marginalized population with the healthcare system.KEY MESSAGESIntegrated infectious disease and addiction treatment is a novel approach to treating severe injection-related infections.Harm reduction should be applied to treating patients with severe injection-related infections with a goal of facilitating antibiotic completion, remission from substance use disorder, and reducing hospital readmissions.
format Article
id doaj-art-15b7fdf992e4419ebe50870ad457098d
institution Kabale University
issn 0785-3890
1365-2060
language English
publishDate 2021-01-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
record_format Article
series Annals of Medicine
spelling doaj-art-15b7fdf992e4419ebe50870ad457098d2025-08-20T03:43:57ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAnnals of Medicine0785-38901365-20602021-01-015311960196810.1080/07853890.2021.1993326Harm reduction for the treatment of patients with severe injection-related infections: description of the Jackson SIRI TeamDavid P. Serota0Hansel E. Tookes1Belén Hervera2Babley M. Gayle3Cara R. Roeck4Edward Suarez5David W. Forrest6Michael A. Kolber7Tyler S. Bartholomew8Allan E. Rodriguez9Susanne Doblecki-Lewis10Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USAJackson Memorial Hospital, Jackson Health System, Miami, FL, USAJackson Memorial Hospital, Jackson Health System, Miami, FL, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USADepartment of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USADepartment of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USAIntroduction Hospitalizations for severe injection-related infections (SIRI), such as endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) are increasingly common. People who inject drugs (PWID) experiencing SIRIs often receive inadequate substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and lack of access to harm reduction services. This translates into lengthy hospitalizations with high rates of patient-directed discharge, readmissions, and post-hospitalization mortality. The purpose of this study was to describe the development of an integrated “SIRI Team” and its initial barriers and facilitators to success.Materials and methods The Jackson SIRI Team was developed to improve both hospital and patient-level outcomes for individuals hospitalized with SIRIs at Jackson Memorial Hospital, a 1550-bed public hospital in Miami, Florida, United States. The SIRI Team provides integrated infectious disease and SUD treatment across the healthcare system starting from the inpatient setting and continuing for 90-days post-hospital discharge. The team uses a harm reduction approach, provides care coordination, focuses on access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and utilizes a variety of infection and addiction treatment modalities to suit each individual patient.Results Over the initial 8-months of the SIRI Team, 21 patients were treated with 20 surviving until discharge. Infections included osteomyelitis, endocarditis, bacteraemia/fungemia, SSTIs, and septic arthritis. All patients had OUD and 95% used stimulants. All patients were discharged on MOUD and 95% completed their prescribed antibiotic course. At 90-days post-discharge, 25% had been readmitted and 70% reported taking MOUD.Conclusions A model of integrated infectious disease and SUD care for the treatment of SIRIs has the potential to improve infection and addiction outcomes. Providing attentive, patient-centered care, using a harm reduction approach can facilitate engagement of this marginalized population with the healthcare system.KEY MESSAGESIntegrated infectious disease and addiction treatment is a novel approach to treating severe injection-related infections.Harm reduction should be applied to treating patients with severe injection-related infections with a goal of facilitating antibiotic completion, remission from substance use disorder, and reducing hospital readmissions.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2021.1993326Endocarditissubstance use disorderskin and soft tissue infectionopioid use disorder
spellingShingle David P. Serota
Hansel E. Tookes
Belén Hervera
Babley M. Gayle
Cara R. Roeck
Edward Suarez
David W. Forrest
Michael A. Kolber
Tyler S. Bartholomew
Allan E. Rodriguez
Susanne Doblecki-Lewis
Harm reduction for the treatment of patients with severe injection-related infections: description of the Jackson SIRI Team
Annals of Medicine
Endocarditis
substance use disorder
skin and soft tissue infection
opioid use disorder
title Harm reduction for the treatment of patients with severe injection-related infections: description of the Jackson SIRI Team
title_full Harm reduction for the treatment of patients with severe injection-related infections: description of the Jackson SIRI Team
title_fullStr Harm reduction for the treatment of patients with severe injection-related infections: description of the Jackson SIRI Team
title_full_unstemmed Harm reduction for the treatment of patients with severe injection-related infections: description of the Jackson SIRI Team
title_short Harm reduction for the treatment of patients with severe injection-related infections: description of the Jackson SIRI Team
title_sort harm reduction for the treatment of patients with severe injection related infections description of the jackson siri team
topic Endocarditis
substance use disorder
skin and soft tissue infection
opioid use disorder
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/07853890.2021.1993326
work_keys_str_mv AT davidpserota harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam
AT hanseletookes harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam
AT belenhervera harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam
AT bableymgayle harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam
AT cararroeck harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam
AT edwardsuarez harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam
AT davidwforrest harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam
AT michaelakolber harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam
AT tylersbartholomew harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam
AT allanerodriguez harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam
AT susannedobleckilewis harmreductionforthetreatmentofpatientswithsevereinjectionrelatedinfectionsdescriptionofthejacksonsiriteam