Wir überwinden Grenzen

Project to provide infectiological advice to non-university hospitals under the leadership of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg / Goal: to treat infections better and prevent the emergence of multi-resistant pathogens / World Antibiotics Week 18

Increasingly complex operations and the use of very effective immunosuppressants and chemotherapeutic agents also result in increasingly frequent and severe infections. At the same time, the number of infections caused by both susceptible and resistant or multi-resistant bacteria is increasing. In order to get these problems under control, the Federal Joint Committee (GBA) is now providing 3.2 million euros over three years to fund a project led by the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Department of Internal Medicine II at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, which aims to improve infectious disease care in small and medium-sized hospitals. To this end, training courses on targeted infection diagnostics and optimized use of medication for infections are to be established in ten hospitals in Baden-Württemberg. This will be done in combination with consultations with clinical infectiologists. The World Health Organization is also drawing attention to the topic with World Antibiotic Awareness Week from 18 to 24 November.

"Infectiology and infection prevention have long been a high priority at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. This is demonstrated by this and other projects that are currently receiving generous funding," says Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Officer of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.

Catching up with comprehensive care

In other countries such as the USA, the Netherlands, France and Spain, the availability of infectiologists and antibiotic stewardship (ABS) teams has long been a priority. Antibiotic stewardship programs aim to use antibiotics in the most targeted and responsible way possible. The aim is to avoid unnecessary exposure of patients and the development of resistance in pathogens.

In Germany, many university hospitals have infectiologists who use their knowledge of infection management and clinical experience to ensure the targeted use of antibiotics. At the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, for example, infection specialists have been working at the bedside for around 20 years under the direction of Prof. Dr. Winfried Kern, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Department of Medicine II. With the support of the Federal Ministry of Health, antibiotic stewardship training courses were also developed here, which are now offered nationwide. However, the vast majority of inpatients are treated in small and medium-sized hospitals. "With the project that has now been approved, the transfer of knowledge can be expanded in a structured manner in order to provide the best possible care for patients in the area," says Prof. Dr. Robert Thimme, Medical Director of the Department of Medicine II at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.

Around ten percent of all patients in Baden-Württemberg involved

"Numerous studies in recent years have shown that the quality of care and treatment outcomes can be significantly improved by involving clinical infectiologists, which can also be measured in lower mortality rates for some infections," says project leader Prof. Dr. Siegbert Rieg, Senior Physician in the Department of Infectiology at the Department of Medicine II at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. For this reason, training courses of varying intensity on the appropriate use of antibiotics are now to be established in ten hospitals in Baden-Württemberg - which account for around ten percent of inpatient beds - in combination with advice and consultation by clinical infectiologists. The project partners will then investigate the effects on treatment outcomes, antibiotic consumption and length of hospital stay as well as the question of which parts of the new, model form of care are practical and can be implemented in standard care.

The study is being carried out as a cooperative project by the Department of Infectiology, Clinic for Internal Medicine II, and the Section for Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Research (SEVERA) at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, as well as the AOK Baden-Württemberg and the ten non-university hospitals. The project 'ID(InfectiousDiseases) ROLL OUT - Infectiological consultation and advisory activities in combination with antibiotic stewardship activities in non-university hospitals' is being funded as part of the GBA Innovation Fund's call for proposals.

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Siegbert Rieg
Department of Infectiology
Department of Medicine II (Focus: Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology and Infectiology)
Uniklinik Freiburg
Phone: 0761 270-18190
siegbert.rieg@uniklinik-freiburg.de