Antimicrobial stewardship staffing: How much is enough?

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Healthcare Management
• Public Health

Background:

• Antimicrobial stewardship is crucial for improving patient outcomes and reducing antimicrobial resistance.
• Mandates exist for antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) across healthcare settings.
• Current evidence on optimal staffing for ASPs, including physician, pharmacist, and data support, is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the existing literature on staffing for antimicrobial stewardship programs.
• To identify gaps in descriptive data regarding ASP staffing.
• To advocate for the development of minimum staffing recommendations for ASPs.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of studies on antimicrobial stewardship staffing.
• Analysis of current recommendations and descriptive data on ASP resource allocation.
• Synthesis of findings to identify areas needing further research and standardization.

Main Results:

• While ASPs are mandated, detailed information on necessary staffing levels is not widely available.
• The literature lacks robust data on the required number and type of personnel (physicians, pharmacists, analysts, administrators) for effective ASPs.
• Existing recommendations for staffing support are not consistently applied or evidence-based.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant need for evidence-based minimum staffing recommendations for antimicrobial stewardship programs.
• Developing standardized staffing models will support the effective implementation and sustainability of ASPs.
• Further research is required to define optimal staffing structures that ensure comprehensive antimicrobial stewardship.