How to Find a Doctor Who Can Prescribe Imipenem/Cilastatin Near You [2026 Guide]

Imipenem/Cilastatin (Primaxin) is not a medication you'll find through a typical telehealth visit or get prescribed at an urgent care clinic. It's a powerful intravenous antibiotic reserved for serious bacterial infections — and that means it's prescribed by a specific group of specialists in specific settings. This guide explains who can prescribe it, how to access those providers, and what to expect from the OPAT (outpatient IV antibiotic) experience.

Why Imipenem/Cilastatin Requires a Specialist

Imipenem/Cilastatin is a last-resort or second-line antibiotic used when other antibiotics won't work — either because the bacteria are drug-resistant or because the infection is severe enough to require the broadest possible coverage. Most hospitals have antibiotic stewardship programs that require physician documentation of the indication, and many institutions require infectious disease (ID) specialist approval for carbapenem prescriptions.

Additionally, because it's given intravenously (IV), it cannot be prescribed without a setting where IV administration is available — a hospital, infusion center, or OPAT home infusion program.

Who Prescribes Imipenem/Cilastatin?

The following types of providers most commonly prescribe Imipenem/Cilastatin:

• Infectious Disease (ID) Specialists: The primary prescribers of carbapenems. ID specialists manage complex infections, multidrug-resistant organisms, and OPAT programs. If your hospital has an ID team, they likely review all carbapenem orders.

• Hospitalists: Physicians who manage acutely ill inpatients often initiate carbapenem therapy empirically for severe infections, typically in consultation with an ID specialist.

• Intensivists (Critical Care Physicians): ICU physicians prescribe Imipenem/Cilastatin for critically ill patients with septic shock, ventilator-associated pneumonia, or complicated intra-abdominal infections.

• Surgeons: General surgeons and colorectal surgeons prescribe carbapenems for complex intra-abdominal infections, including peritonitis and perforated bowel.

• Pulmonologists: Prescribe Imipenem/Cilastatin for hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia, especially in patients with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

• Oncologists/Hematologists: Prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics including carbapenems for febrile neutropenia in cancer patients on chemotherapy.

Do I Need a Referral to an Infectious Disease Specialist?

If you've been told you need Imipenem/Cilastatin but are being treated in an outpatient setting, you almost certainly need an ID specialist referral. To find an infectious disease specialist near you:

• Ask your primary care physician for a referral to an ID specialist in your area

• Search the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) directory at idsociety.org for board-certified ID physicians

• Call your hospital's ID division or infectious disease clinic directly — most major hospital systems have outpatient ID clinics

• Use your insurance plan's provider directory to find in-network ID specialists near you

Can Nurse Practitioners or PAs Prescribe Imipenem/Cilastatin?

In most states, nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) can prescribe antibiotics including carbapenems within their scope of practice. However, as a practical matter, prescriptions for IV carbapenems like Imipenem/Cilastatin in hospital settings are almost always initiated by or in consultation with a physician — either an ID specialist, hospitalist, or surgeon.

Can Imipenem/Cilastatin Be Prescribed Via Telehealth?

Not in any meaningful clinical sense. While a physician could technically send a prescription electronically after a telehealth consultation, Imipenem/Cilastatin requires IV administration — you cannot self-administer a sterile injection at home without the support of an OPAT program, which requires an in-person evaluation, home nursing assessment, and specialty infusion pharmacy coordination.

If you're transitioning from hospital to home on OPAT, your ID specialist or hospitalist will coordinate this program for you — it cannot be initiated through a telehealth visit alone.

What Is OPAT and How Do I Access It?

Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) allows patients to receive IV antibiotics at home or in an infusion clinic instead of staying in the hospital for weeks. OPAT is coordinated by your inpatient team at discharge and typically involves:

• A specialty infusion pharmacy that prepares and delivers the IV antibiotic to your home

• A home health nurse who teaches you how to administer the infusion and monitors for complications

• Regular follow-up laboratory monitoring (CBC, metabolic panel, kidney function) through your ID clinic or primary care physician

• Weekly or biweekly ID clinic visits to assess treatment response and plan for de-escalation or completion

What If You Can't Find the Medication Once Discharged?

During the active shortage, your OPAT pharmacy may have trouble sourcing Imipenem/Cilastatin. If this happens, use medfinder to locate alternative infusion pharmacies near you with current stock — and contact your ID specialist immediately so they can coordinate a backup plan or alternative antibiotic if needed. See also our guide on alternatives to Imipenem/Cilastatin if you can't fill your prescription.