Bone and joint infection requires antimicrobial treatment for 6 to 12 weeks. When patients are well prepared and instructed regarding their therapy, they are more likely to have less side effects and improved compliance. Although side effects are common, this coaching is often not routinely performed when oral treatment is given. We developed a monitoring and guidance program for our outpatients who are on long term antimicrobial therapy, in which we can early signal side effects and treatment failure and coach the patients in their journey of infection treatment. In our tertiary referral centre for orthopaedic infections, we started the outpatient monitoring of antimicrobial treatment (OMAT)- team for patients who will receive antimicrobial therapy for >2 weeks. Before discharge, our trained nurse gives instruction to the patient. Within 3 days after hospital discharge the patient is contacted by phone to, if necessary, clarify ambiguities in monitoring set up. During this contact, the nurse checks for side effects, addresses logistic problems regarding laboratory monitoring or future appointments and coaches patients for other questions. The patient is instructed how to recognize and who to contact in case of red flags and problems possibly related to the treatment. This is repeated after every laboratory check-up. Supervision is performed by an infectious disease specialist in close collaboration with the patient's surgeon.Aim
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