Impact of Virtual Care on Outpatient Urinary Tract Infection Management

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of virtual care on urine testing, antibiotic prescription patterns, and outcomes of care in urinary tract infection (UTI) management.METHODS We conducted retrospective analysis of adults treated for UTI in an ambulatory setting across a large health system from March 2020-2021. Outcomes included urine testing, antibiotic pre-scription, and retreatment or hospitalization, stratified by in-person vs virtual visit. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine factors contributing to outcomes.RESULTS Significantly fewer patients seen virtually had urine testing as compared to those seen in-person (19% vs 69%, P < .001). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, virtual visit was the most significant predictor of urine testing, associated with an 86% reduction in the odds of urine testing (odds ratio (OR) 0.14, P < .001). Having a complicated UTI did not affect the like-lihood of urine testing (OR 1.0, P = .95). Patients seen virtually were more likely to have a subsequent repeat ambulatory UTI visit (OR 1.16) or repeat antibiotic prescription (1.06) more than 2 weeks after the index encounter, though no more likely to be hospitalized for UTI (OR 1.00).CONCLUSION Virtual care for UTI is associated with a significant reduction in urine testing and an increase in repeat UTI encounters and additional antibiotics among patients with complicated and un-complicated UTIs. UROLOGY 182: 40-47, 2023. (c) 2023 Published by Elsevier Inc.