Role of Technology in Antimicrobial Stewardship

Because of the increasing plague of antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic misuse, antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are now a mandatory entity in all US hospitals. ASPs can use technological advances, such as the electronic medical record and clinical decision support systems, to impact a larger patient population with more efficiency. Additionally, through the use of mobile applications and social media, ASPs can highlight and propagate educational information regarding antimicrobial utilization to patients and providers in a widespread and timely manner. In this article, the authors describe how technology can play an important role in antimicrobial stewardship.