Antibiotic misuse in a pediatric teaching hospital

Antibiotic use at a pediatric teaching hospital was reviewed for a month. A total of 188 courses of therapy were evaluated with respect to choice of antibiotic, dosage and necessity of treatment. Errors in therapy were noted in 30% of the medical orders and 63% of the surgical orders. The most frequent error, unnecessary therapy, was found in 13% and 45% of the medical and surgical orders respectively. Error rates were highest for the most frequently ordered antibiotics, notably the penicillins. The magnitude of the problem appeared to be similar to that previously reported from general ana adult hospitals. The difficulties with solutions such as educational programs and compulsory consultation are discussed.