Antibiotic Stewardship Initiative
Antibiotic resistance occurs when germs no longer respond to the drugs designed to kill them.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause more than 2 million illnesses and at least 23,000 deaths each year in the United States.
Patients and healthcare workers contribute significantly to the environmental contamination of surfaces and equipment, especially in intensive care areas, because of the nature of the medical equipment (e.g., ventilators) and the moisture associated with this equipment. Inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics contributes to antibiotic resistance and is a threat to patient safety. Approximately 40% of the patients in hospitals receiving antibiotics receive unnecessary or inappropriate therapy. Each year, millions of antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily for viral infections in the outpatient setting. It is estimated that more than 50% of antibiotics are unnecessarily prescribed in office settings for upper respiratory infections (e.g., cough and cold illness), of which most are caused by viruses.
Due to this increasing public health threat, PQC partnered with the CDC and established an Antibiotic Stewardship Initiative, including a guidance team composed of experts from PQC member organizations as well as representatives from the CDC. Antibiotic stewardship is the responsible overseeing and protection of antibiotics, the back bone of modern medicine.
A needs assessment was conducted to identify best practices from PQC member organizations. A webinar series was initiated to highlight these best practices and other areas of interest to assist PQC organizations in limiting the development and spread of antibiotic resistance. Click on the links provided to learn more about each of these subtopics.
PQC’s Antibiotic Stewardship Initiative is divided into three subtopics:
Role of Environmental Services in Saving Lives
- CDC / PQC Best Practices: Environmental Services
- Webinar: Enhanced Disinfection Best Practices
Improving Inpatient Antibiotic Prescribing
- CDC / PQC Best Practices: Inpatient Antibiotic Stewardship Programs
- Antibiotic Appropriateness Assessment Tool
- Webinar: Antibiotic Time-Out, Essential Elements and Development
Improving Antibiotic Use in the Community
- CDC / PQC Best Practices: Antibiotic Stewardship in the Community
- Webinar: Managing Patient Expectations
