Medical table: A major tool for antimicrobial stewardship policy

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Practice
• Antimicrobial Stewardship

Background:

• Infectious diseases present complex challenges due to varied clinical presentations, pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance.
• Heterogeneous clinical practices hinder the effective evaluation of treatment strategies.
• A departmental medical table has been utilized since 2005 to monitor medical activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement standardized antibiotic guidelines.
• To continuously evaluate the observance and impact of these guidelines on patient outcomes.
• To assess the effect on morbidity, mortality, and adverse events associated with infectious diseases.

Main Methods:

• A 10-year analysis of over 10,000 hospitalizations was conducted using a departmental medical table.
• Therapeutic practices were observed, leading to the creation of internal antibiotic guidelines.
• Continuous evaluation focused on guideline adherence, infection-related morbidity and mortality, antibiotic adverse effects, hospital stay duration, intensive care unit (ICU) utilization, and mortality rates.

Main Results:

• The analysis revealed a simplification of antibiotic therapies.
• A significant reduction in infection-related morbidity and mortality was observed.
• The implementation of guidelines and monitoring led to improved patient outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The departmental medical table is a crucial tool for effective antimicrobial stewardship.
• Standardized antibiotic guidelines and continuous evaluation yield sustained benefits for patients with infectious diseases.
• This integrated approach improves patient care and reduces the burden of infectious diseases.