OBJECTIVES: Guidelines support patients requiring intravenous (IV) therapy for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection (ABSSSI) in the absence of severe infection or unstable comorbidities can be managed effectively in the outpatient setting. The potential cost and quality of life differences associated with a shift in care from inpatient to outpatient care through the use of dalbavancin, a long-acting IV antibiotic, for patients with ABSSSI with no or few comorbidities was examined. METHODS:   A decision analytic model from a payer perspective was developed to assess direct medical costs (inpatient and outpatient) and quality of life differences for patients with ABSSSI with no or few comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score <1). Patients with ABSSSI received an inpatient treatment pathway of IV vancomycin followed by oral linezolid or outpatient treatment with IV dalbavancin (single infusion). Cost parameters included hospital length of stay (LOS) determined by presence or absence of systemic infection symptoms and CCI score, hospitalization costs, medications, laboratory, diagnostic and therapeutic services delivered to the patient. Inputs were obtained from published literature and evidence-based assumptions. Due to the lack of literature for ABSSSI, we estimated utility weights for inpatient versus outpatient treatment. RESULTS:   Mean costs for the inpatient treatment pathway were $10,610. Shifting to outpatient treatment with IV dalbavancin was estimated to save approximately $3,840 per patient versus an inpatient treatment pathway. The quality-adjusted-life-days (QALDs) associated with the inpatient treatment pathway versus outpatient treatment with IV dalbavancin were 15.4 versus 15.6, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:   In patients with ABSSSI with no or few comorbidities, shifting IV treatment for ABSSSI to an outpatient setting with dalbavancin resulted in a >36% decrease in medical costs and an incremental QALD gain versus an inpatient treatment pathway. The outpatient treatment with IV dalbavancin dominated the inpatient treatment pathway.