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Published on: August 30, 2018
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Implementing antimicrobial stewardship in the Australian private hospital system: a qualitative study
Menino O Cotta1, Megan S Robertson2, Caroline Marshall1
1Victorian Infectious Diseases Service at the Doherty Institute, 792 Elizabeth Street Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. Email: ;
Summary
Implementing antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in Australian private hospitals requires expert advice, clinical leadership, and patient involvement. Addressing specialist autonomy and marketing AMS as a quality improvement initiative are key to successful uptake.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Infectious Disease Control
- Clinical Pharmacy
Background:
- Limited uptake of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs in private hospitals presents challenges.
- Understanding organizational factors influencing AMS adoption is crucial for effective implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore organizational factors and barriers to AMS uptake in Australian private hospitals.
- To identify actionable solutions for successful AMS implementation in this setting.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study utilizing focus group discussions with clinical and non-clinical stakeholders.
- Thematic analysis of emergent themes surrounding AMS implementation.
Main Results:
- Specialist autonomy is a significant factor in private hospitals.
- An expert-led advisory model, respecting patient-specialist relationships, was proposed.
- Opportunities exist for enhanced nursing, pharmacist, and patient involvement.
- Marketing AMS as a patient care excellence feature was suggested.
Conclusions:
- Successful AMS implementation in private hospitals should involve expert advice, clinical champions, and executive marketing.
- Engaging nurses, pharmacists, and patients is vital for program success.
- Tailoring AMS strategies to the private hospital context, considering specialist autonomy, is recommended.
