Modifying pre-operative antibiotic overuse in gynecologic surgery

Purpose Previous studies indicate adherence to pre-operative antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines has been inadequate. The purpose of this paper is to determine adherence rates to current perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines in gynecologic surgery at a tertiary care, academic institution. As a secondary outcome, improving guidelines after physician re-education were analyzed. Design/methodology/approach A retrospective chart review (2,463 patients) was completed. The authors determined if patients received perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in accordance with current guidelines from the America College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Data were obtained before and after physician tutorials. Quality control was implemented by making guideline failures transparent. Statistical analysis used Fisher's exact and agreement tests. Findings In total, 23 percent of patients received antibiotics not indicated across all procedures. This decreased to 9 percent after physician re-education and outcome transparency ( p<0.0001). Laparoscopy was the procedure with the lowest guideline compliance prior to education. The compliance improved from 52 to 92 percent ( p<0.0001) after re-education. Practical implications Gynecologic surgeons overuse antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis. Physician re-education and transparency were shown to enhance compliance. Originality/value Educational tutorials are an effective strategy for encouraging physicians to improve outcomes, which, in turn, allows the healthcare system a non-punitive way to monitor quality and mitigate cost.