Engagement in Antibiotic Stewardship Programs Results in Drop in Antibiotics

The overreliance on antibiotics is a major issue in healthcare, particularly at long-term care facilities, with 70% of residents receiving at least 1 course of antibiotics annually and 40-75% of prescriptions deemed inappropriate or not concordant with guidelines. However, antibiotic stewardship programs could help reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance at these care facilities.

The AHRQ Safety Program for Improving Antibiotic Use is an educational initiative to establish antibiotic stewardship programs that focus on patient safety.

In the study, the investigators examined data from 439 long-term care facilities in the US. The team assessed antibiotic therapy data following a pragmatic quality-improvement program.