Impact of a pharmacist-driven education initiative on treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria

The results and methods of a pharmacist-driven multifaceted educational intervention on the appropriate management of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) within an emergency department (ED) are reported.

A retrospective, single-center cohort study was conducted to evaluate the effects of an educational intervention aimed at reducing the rates of mismanaged ABU within an ED at a Level 1 trauma center. The education involved a multifaceted approach directed by pharmacists and involved a handout and algorithm communicated through in-person discussions, emails, and general distribution. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of this education the preintervention and postintervention rates of inappropriate treatments were determined through a retrospective chart review. The primary outcome was the difference in the frequency of inappropriately treated ABU between the preintervention and postintervention periods.

A total of 268 patients were included in the study for review (134 in each group). There was a 16.5% reduction in the frequency of patients that had ABU inappropriately treated as a urinary tract infection in the postintervention period compared with the preintervention period (31 [23.1%] versus 53 [39.6%], p = 0.004).

Pharmacist-driven education was effecitive in reducing the rates of inappropriately used antibiotics for ABU within an ED.