Antimicrobial stewardship programs: methods of operation and suggested outcomes

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to infectious disease treatment efficacy.
• New antibiotic development is lagging, necessitating strategies to preserve existing agents.
• Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are essential for optimizing antibiotic use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current antimicrobial stewardship strategies.
• To discuss the impact of these strategies on clinical outcomes and healthcare costs.
• To guide the selection of appropriate goals for sustainable ASPs.

Main Methods:

• Review of endorsed antimicrobial stewardship strategies.
• Analysis of preauthorization/formulary restriction.
• Evaluation of prospective audit with feedback.

Main Results:

• Two primary ASP strategies are preauthorization/formulary restriction and prospective audit with feedback.
• These strategies aim to optimize antibiotic selection, dosage, and duration.
• The impact on clinical outcomes and costs requires careful consideration for program sustainability.

Conclusions:

• Judicious antibiotic use is vital for maintaining treatment efficacy.
• ASPs play a critical role in combating antibiotic resistance.
• Selecting appropriate clinical and financial goals is key to the long-term success of stewardship programs.