ABSTRACT

In hospitalized patients with infections, the length of hospital stay is one of the primary factors that contribute to the cost of care. The early switch from intravenous to oral antibiotics, or switch therapy, is an approach incorporated into the management of hospitalized patients with infectious diseases that is considered one of the most important early discharge strategies. The recovery phase of hospitalized patients with infections can be represented with a curve divided into three different periods. The first period starts with the initiation of intravenous empiric antibiotic therapy. The second period starts when the patient reaches the point of clinical stability. During the third period of recovery, the signs, symptoms, and laboratory abnormalities will be greatly improved or resolved. The switch therapy strategy is based on the identification of the point of clinical stability, when the patient is moving from the first to the second period of recovery.