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All-inclusive Concurrent Antibiotic Usage Review: A Way to Reduce Misuse Without Formal Controls

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Herbert S. Heineman  and
Valerie S. Watt
Herbert S. Heineman*
Affiliation:
Department of Infection Control, Mercy Catholic Medical Center, Misericordia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Valerie S. Watt
Affiliation:
Department of Infection Control, Mercy Catholic Medical Center, Misericordia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*
Public Health Laboratory, 500 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146
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Abstract

During an 11-week period, all antibiotic usage on a 113-bed medical teaching service was reviewed concurrently in weekly sessions between house staff and a review team. Recommendations for change, based on accepted criteria, were communicated by the house officer to the attending physician. In one-half of the patients no change was suggested; in one-third, a recommended change was made; and in only one-sixth was a recommendation not followed. Cost savings were conservatively estimated to approach $10,000 in this pilot study; this extrapolates to almost $300,000 per year for the 714-bed medical center, or more than 18% of the antibiotic expenditures.

This program achieves its objective in a nonthreatening, noncontrolling manner, provides continuing education, and contributes to improved patient care.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , March 1986 , pp. 168 - 171
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1986

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