National Minimum Data Set for Antimicrobial Resistance Management: Toward Global Surveillance System

Success of infection treatment depends on the availability of accurate, reliable, and comprehensive data, information, and knowledge at the point of therapeutic decision-making. The identification of a national minimum data set will support the development and implementation of an effective surveillance system. The goal of this study was to develop a national antimicrobial resistance surveillance minimum data set.

In this cross-sectional and descriptive study, data were collected from selected pioneering countries and organizations which have national or international antimicrobial resistance surveillance systems. A minimum data set checklist was extracted and validated. The ultimate data elements of the minimum data set were determined by applying the Delphi technique.

Through the Delphi technique, we obtained 80 data elements in 8 axes. The resistance data categories comprised basic, clinical, electronic reporting, infection control, microbiology, pharmacy, World Health Organization-derived, and expert-recommended data. Relevance coding was extracted based on the Iranian electronic health record coding system.

This study provides a set of data elements and a schematic framework for the implementation of an antimicrobial resistance surveillance system. A uniform minimum data set was created based on key informants' opinions to cover essential needs in the early implementation of a global antimicrobial resistance surveillance system in Iran.