A tale of 2 digital hospitals: A qualitative study of antimicrobial stewardship teams

We aim to examine and understand the work processes of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) teams across 2 hospitals that use the same digital intervention, and to identify the barriers and enablers to effective AMS in each setting.

Employing a contextual inquiry approach informed by the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model, observations and semistructured interviews were conducted with AMS team members (n = 15) in 2 Australian hospitals. Qualitative data analysis was conducted, mapping themes to the SEIPS framework.

Both hospitals utilized similar systems, however, they displayed variations in AMS processes, particularly in postprescription review, interdepartmental AMS meetings and the utilization of digital tools. An antimicrobial dashboard was available at both hospitals but was utilized more at the hospital where the AMS team members were involved in the dashboard's development, and there were user champions. At the hospital where the dashboard was utilized less, participants were unaware of key features, and interoperability issues were observed. Establishing strong relationships between the AMS team and prescribers emerged as key to effective AMS at both hospitals. However, organizational and cultural differences were found, with 1 hospital reporting insufficient support from executive leadership, increased prescriber autonomy and resource constraints.

Organizational and cultural elements, such as executive support, resource allocation and interdepartmental relationships, played a crucial role in achieving AMS goals. System interoperability and user champions further promoted the adoption of digital tools, potentially improving AMS outcomes through increased user engagement and acceptance.