Changes in hospital antibiotic therapy after a quality-of-use study

During the first quarters of 1976 and 1977, the use of parenteral gentamicin, cloxacillin, ampicillin, and cephalothin was surveyed in 219 (in 1976) and 240 (in 1977) patients admitted to a surgical, a gynaecological, and a medical ward of a teaching hospital. In 1976, therapy was assessed as irrational in 42%, 50%, and 12% of the surgical, gynaecological, and medical patients, respectively; the corresponding figures for 1977 were 24%, 25%, and 22%. The more rational therapy in 1977 was due to a shorter duration of prophylactic therapy; and to fewer patients receiving oral antibiotics just before or after the parenteral antibiotic.