IV to PO Conversion (January 2025)

Course Overview

The Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center’s, IV to PO Conversion, compares the effectiveness of IV and oral antibiotics for the treatment of osteomyelitis, endocarditis, and bacteremia. Featuring Dr. Brad Spellberg, Chief Medical Officer at Los Angeles General Medical Center, this webinar will explore the historical use of IV antimicrobials for serious infections, challenge the notion that IV is always better, and highlight the benefits of oral antimicrobials in terms of safety, cost, and patient preference.

Target Audience

Target audience for this course are healthcare professionals who are or will be directly involved in infection prevention activities in their facilities. These are infection prevention professionals who have participated in and gained considerable knowledge through specialized infection and control training and have minimal to moderate practice or fieldwork experience with infection prevention and control concepts.

 Audience examples: Advanced Beginner to Proficient Infection Preventionist, Advanced Beginner to Proficient HAI/AR/IPC staff, Novice to Proficient Healthcare/Public Health Epidemiologist, Infectious Disease /Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Pharmacist.

Overall Learning Objectives

• Discuss the historical context of IV antimicrobials for serious infections, and the problems with the dogma that “IV is better”

• List the benefits of oral antimicrobials (versus IV) from a safety, cost, and patient-preference perspective

• Identify the appropriate patient/time to convert antimicrobials to oral