Pediatric antimicrobial stewardship practices at discharge: A national survey

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Stewardship
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are crucial for optimizing antibiotic use in pediatric healthcare settings.
• The transition of care from hospital to home presents unique challenges for continuing effective antimicrobial management.
• Discharge antimicrobial prescriptions require careful oversight to prevent inappropriate use and promote patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current landscape of discharge stewardship practices within pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs.
• To identify the extent to which pediatric ASPs review antimicrobial prescriptions at the time of patient discharge.
• To highlight opportunities for enhancing antimicrobial stewardship during the critical hospital-to-home transition.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to pediatric antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) site leaders.
• The survey focused on current practices related to the review of discharge antimicrobial prescriptions.
• Data were collected from participants within the Sharing Antimicrobial Reports for Pediatric Stewardship collaborative.

Main Results:

• Out of 67 surveyed sites, only 13 (19%) reported that their ASP reviews discharge antimicrobial prescriptions.
• This indicates a low prevalence of formal ASP involvement in managing antibiotics prescribed at discharge.
• The findings suggest a significant gap in discharge stewardship practices across pediatric facilities.

Conclusions:

• Discharge stewardship represents a substantial, underutilized opportunity for improving antimicrobial use in pediatric populations.
• Enhancing ASP involvement in reviewing discharge prescriptions is essential for optimizing patient care and combating antimicrobial resistance.
• Targeted interventions are needed to support pediatric ASPs in implementing robust discharge stewardship protocols.