Conclusions
Children with tracheostomy represent a vulnerable population of patients who often have multiple complex co-morbidities and have high level of resource utilization and antibiotic exposure. Our study shows that these children are frequently treated for respiratory illness. Successfully treating illnesses at home would minimize healthcare costs and avoid hospitalizations. We did not find a difference in subsequent 28 day hospitalization between starting outpatient antibiotics versus only increasing AWC, indicating that antibiotics may not help with avoiding hospitalization and should be used only after careful consideration of the patient’s clinical status and medical history. Prospective studies to determine optimal outpatient treatment strategies are needed.
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