Diagnostic stewardship in infectious diseases: a continuum of antimicrobial stewardship in the fight against antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an imminent threat to global health and has been exacerbated by the inappropriate use of diagnostics that lead to excessive prescription of antimicrobials. Diagnostic stewardship (DS) is an auxiliary to antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and emphasizes on ordering the right tests for the right patient at the right time. It also promotes the judicious use of rapid and novel molecular diagnostic tools to allow for initiation of proper antibiotic therapy while avoiding excessive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics when not needed. Proper interpretation of test results is crucial to avoid overdiagnosis, and excessive healthcare costs.