[Hospital infection control reduced medical care costs by saving dispensable antibiotics]

Medical costs associated with hospital-acquired infection is a critical problem for hospital management. The introduction of the Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) system requires the re-evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of any medical procedure including the usage of antibiotics. Achieving high cost-effectiveness and quality of medical service are essential for hospitals to survive the current changes in medical systems. Inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents results in unnecessary exposure to medication, persistent or progressive infection, emergence of resistance, and increased costs. We undertook an observational pre and post-intervention study to assess whether a comprehensive antimicrobial management program developed by the new ICT installed 2002 in Akita University Hospital could reduce the use of antibiotics. Annual total amounts of antibiotics and anti-MRSA antibiotics, and the number of patients undergoing long-term treatment with antibiotics, fell dramatically. This ICT approach thus reduced antibiotic costs, contributed to infection control, and improved the quality of antibiotic prescription.