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The "Choosing Wisely": initiative in infectious diseases
Norma Jung1, Clara Lehmann2,3, Gerd Fätkenheuer2,3
1First Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50934, Cologne, Germany. norma.jung@uk-koeln.de.
Infection
|October 15, 2015
Summary
The "Choosing Wisely" campaign highlights unnecessary procedures in infectious diseases (ID). Overuse of antibiotics is a major concern, with recommendations targeting upper respiratory tract infections and asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Area of Science:
- Medical Practice
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- The "Choosing Wisely" campaign promotes practice changes to reduce unnecessary medical procedures.
- International medical societies are developing "Top Five" lists to guide diagnostic and therapeutic choices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recommendations from "Choosing Wisely" initiatives concerning infectious diseases (ID).
- To identify common themes in diagnostic and therapeutic issues within ID from "Top Five" lists.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed "Top Five" lists from 11 countries participating in the "Choosing Wisely" campaign.
- Screened recommendations for terms related to infectious diseases, including "infection", "antibiotics", and "vaccination".
Main Results:
- Infectious disease topics were found in 8% of 628 recommendations across 7 countries.
- Common themes included unnecessary antibiotic use for upper respiratory tract infections and asymptomatic bacteriuria.
- Recommendations covered treatment, diagnostics, and prevention in infectious diseases.
Conclusions:
- Medical societies are incorporating infectious disease (ID) topics into their "Choosing Wisely" recommendations.
- The overuse of antibiotics is a significant concern identified in these recommendations.
- These findings underscore the importance of judicious use of antimicrobials and diagnostics in infectious disease management.
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