Finding a Doctor Who Prescribes Daptomycin

Daptomycin (brand name Cubicin) is a powerful IV antibiotic used to treat serious infections like MRSA bacteremia and complicated skin infections. Unlike a medication you can pick up at your local pharmacy, Daptomycin is given intravenously — meaning you'll need a doctor who specializes in the types of infections it treats and who can coordinate IV administration.

If you've been told you might need Daptomycin, or you're dealing with a stubborn infection that hasn't responded to other antibiotics, this guide will walk you through exactly how to find the right doctor near you in 2026.

What Type of Doctor Prescribes Daptomycin?

Daptomycin isn't something your family doctor will typically prescribe on their own. Because it's reserved for serious gram-positive bacterial infections, it's usually prescribed by specialists. Here are the most common:

• Infectious Disease (ID) Specialists — These are the most common prescribers of Daptomycin. If you have a complicated MRSA infection, bacteremia, or endocarditis, an ID doctor is who you want to see.
• Hospitalists / Hospital Medicine Doctors — If you're admitted to the hospital with a serious infection, the hospitalist managing your care may start you on Daptomycin.
• Internal Medicine Physicians — Some internists with experience managing complex infections may prescribe and coordinate Daptomycin therapy.
• Surgeons — Orthopedic or cardiac surgeons may prescribe Daptomycin for post-surgical infections, prosthetic joint infections, or osteomyelitis.
• Nephrologists — For patients on dialysis with bloodstream infections, a nephrologist may be involved in prescribing Daptomycin.
• Dermatologists — In cases of complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI), a dermatologist may initiate Daptomycin therapy.

In most cases, your best bet is an infectious disease specialist. They have the deepest expertise with IV antibiotics like Daptomycin and can coordinate everything from dosing to CPK monitoring.

How to Find a Provider Near You

Once you know what type of doctor to look for, here are the best ways to find one:

1. Use Your Insurance Directory

Start with your insurance company's provider directory. Most major insurers — including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare — have online search tools where you can filter by specialty. Search for "infectious disease" in your area and check that the provider is accepting new patients.

2. Ask Your Primary Care Doctor for a Referral

If you have a primary care physician (PCP), ask for a referral to an infectious disease specialist. Your PCP can send over your medical records, lab results, and culture data — which saves time and helps the specialist get up to speed quickly. Many insurance plans, especially HMOs, require a referral anyway.

3. Search on Zocdoc or Healthgrades

Online platforms like Zocdoc, Healthgrades, and Vitals let you search for infectious disease doctors by location, insurance accepted, and patient ratings. Zocdoc is especially helpful because you can book appointments directly online.

4. Contact a Hospital's Infectious Disease Department

Major hospitals and academic medical centers almost always have an infectious disease department. Call their main line and ask to schedule an outpatient consultation. This is especially useful if you're in a smaller city where standalone ID practices may be limited.

5. Consider Home Infusion Services

Since Daptomycin is an IV medication, many patients receive it through home infusion services rather than going to a hospital every day. Companies like Option Care Health, BioScrip, and PharMerica can administer Daptomycin at home under a doctor's orders. Your prescribing doctor can coordinate with a home infusion pharmacy to set this up.

Note: Daptomycin is not available via telehealth in any practical sense — it requires IV administration, lab monitoring, and in-person evaluation. However, follow-up visits and lab review can sometimes be done virtually.

What to Expect at Your Appointment

When you see a doctor about Daptomycin therapy, here's what typically happens:

• Review of your infection — The doctor will look at culture and sensitivity results to confirm Daptomycin is the right choice.
• Baseline labs — You'll likely need a baseline creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level, kidney function tests, and a complete blood count (CBC).
• Dosing plan — For complicated skin infections, the typical dose is 4 mg/kg IV once daily. For bacteremia or endocarditis, it's 6 mg/kg IV once daily. Your doctor will calculate your exact dose based on your weight.
• Administration plan — The doctor will determine whether you'll receive Daptomycin in the hospital, at an outpatient infusion center, or at home through a home infusion service.
• Monitoring schedule — Weekly CPK levels are recommended to watch for muscle toxicity. Your doctor will schedule regular blood draws.
• Medication review — If you're taking statins (like Atorvastatin, Simvastatin, or Rosuvastatin), your doctor may temporarily stop them during Daptomycin therapy to reduce the risk of muscle damage. Learn more about Daptomycin drug interactions.

After You Get Your Prescription

Getting a Daptomycin prescription is only half the battle. Because it's a specialty IV medication, filling it can be more complex than a regular prescription:

• Specialty pharmacies — Daptomycin is typically dispensed by specialty or hospital pharmacies, not your local CVS or Walgreens. Your doctor's office or hospital will usually coordinate this.
• Prior authorization — Most insurance plans require prior authorization for Daptomycin. Your doctor's office will handle the paperwork, but it can take 24-72 hours to get approved.
• Cost considerations — Generic Daptomycin 500 mg vials cost approximately $29-$50 each. A full 14-day course may run $400-$700 for the generic. Brand-name Cubicin RF is significantly more expensive. Check out our guide on how to save money on Daptomycin.
• Finding it in stock — Daptomycin has experienced supply disruptions in recent years. If your pharmacy doesn't have it, use Medfinder to check availability at pharmacies near you. You can also read our guide on how to find Daptomycin in stock.

Final Thoughts

Finding a doctor who can prescribe Daptomycin usually means finding an infectious disease specialist — and the good news is that most cities have at least one. Start with your insurance directory or ask your primary care doctor for a referral. Once you're connected with the right specialist, they'll handle the complexities of dosing, monitoring, and coordinating IV administration.

If you're struggling to find Daptomycin in stock after getting your prescription, Medfinder can help you locate pharmacies that have it available right now.