scholarly journals Inaccurate Communications in Telephone Calls to an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 688-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darren R. Linkin ◽  
Sarah Paris ◽  
Neil O. Fishman ◽  
Joshua P. Metlay ◽  
Ebbing Lautenbach
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Patient Data ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Prior Approval ◽  
Telephone Calls

Background.Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) decrease unnecessary antimicrobial use, decrease antimicrobial resistance, and improve patient outcomes. The effectiveness of a prior approval system—that is, the requirement that approval be obtained from ASP practitioners before certain antimicrobials can be used—depends on the accuracy of the patient data communicated from the primary service.Objectives.To determine the incidence of inaccurate communication of patient data during ASP interactions, describe examples of inaccurate communications, and identify risk factors for inaccurate communication.Design.We used a retrospective cohort design. We evaluated the communicated patient data for clinically important inaccuracies, using the patients' medical records as the gold standard.Setting.A tertiary care medical center that has a prior approval system for restricted antimicrobials.Patients.Inpatients discussed in telephone ASP interactions.Intervention.Observational study.Results.Of telephone calls requesting prior approval from ASP practitioners, 39% (95% confidence interval [CI], 31%-48%) contained an inaccuracy in at least 1 type of patient data (eg, current antimicrobial therapy); the incidence varied widely between data types. Examples of inaccuracies are given to demonstrate their clinical relevance. In multivariable analysis, inaccurate communications were more common for telephone calls from surgical services (versus calls from nonsurgical services: odds ratio, 2.1 [95% CI, 1.1-3.9]) and for calls received by Infectious Diseases fellows (versus pharmacists: odds ratio, 2.0 [95% CI, 1.1-3.8]).Conclusions.A high proportion of ASP calls requesting prior approval included patient data inaccuracies, which have the potential to affect the prescribing of antimicrobials. Although risk factors were identified, these communication errors were common across the different types of ASP interactions. Inaccurate communications may compromise the utility of ASPs that use a prior approval system for optimizing antimicrobial use.

scholarly journals Effect of Communication Errors During Calls to an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 1374-1381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darren R. Linkin ◽  
Neil O. Fishman ◽  
J. Richard Landis ◽  
Todd D. Barton ◽  
Steven Gluckman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Medical Records ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Patient Data ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship Program ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Prior Approval ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Telephone Calls ◽  
Microbiological Data

Objective.To determine how inaccurate communication of patient data by clinicians in telephone calls to the prior-approval antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) staff affects the incidence of inappropriate antimicrobial recommendations made by ASP practitioners.Design.A retrospective cohort design was used. The accuracy of the patient data communicated was evaluated against patients' medical records to identify predetermined, clinically significant inaccuracies. Inappropriate antimicrobial recommendations were defined having been made if an expert panel unanimously rated the actual recommendations as inappropriate after reviewing vignettes derived from inpatients' medical records.Setting.The setting was an academic medical center with a prior-approval ASP.Patients.All inpatient subjects of ASP prior-approval calls were eligible for inclusion.Results.Of 200 ASP telephone calls, the panel agreed about whether or not antimicrobial recommendations were inappropriate for 163 calls (82%); these 163 calls were then used as the basis for further analyses. After controlling for confbunders, inaccurate communication was found to be associated with inappropriate antimicrobial recommendations (odds ratio [OR], of 2.2; P = .03). In secondary analyses of specific data types, only inaccuracies in microbiological data were associated with the study outcome (OR, 7.5; P = .002). The most common reason panelists gave for rating a recommendation as inappropriate was that antimicrobial therapy was not indicated.Conclusions.Inaccurate communication of patient data, particularly microbiological data, during prior-approval calls is associated with an increased risk of inappropriate antimicrobial recommendations from the ASP. Clinicians and ASP practitioners should work to confirm that critical data has been communicated accurately prior to use of that data in prescribing decisions.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Antimicrobial Therapy Orders Circumventing an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program: Investigating the Strategy of “Stealth Dosing”

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (05) ◽  
pp. 551-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lori Ann LaRosa ◽  
Neil O. Fishman ◽  
Ebbing Lautenbach ◽  
Ross J. Koppel ◽  
Knashawn H. Morales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Study Design ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Antimicrobial Therapy ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Prior Approval

Objective. Prior-approval antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) improve patient outcomes and decrease antimicrobial resistance. These benefits would be limited if physicians circumvented ASP efforts. We evaluated whether prescribers wait until after the prior-approval period to order restricted antimicrobial therapy that is in conflict with guidelines or unnecessary. Design. A cross-sectional study design and a retrospective cohort study design. Setting. A tertiary care, academic medical center with a prior-approval ASP that was active between 8 AM and 10 PM. Methods. We evaluated whether there was an increase in the proportion of orders for antimicrobial therapy that involve restricted (vs nonrestricted) antimicrobials during the first hour that the ASP is inactive (ie, the first hour that prior approval is not required), compared with the remainder of the day. We also evaluated whether restricted antimicrobial therapy ordered during this first hour is less likely to be continued when the ASP becomes active the next day, compared with that ordered during the preceding hour. Results. A greater proportion of the antimicrobial therapy orders placed between 10:00 PM and 10:59 PM were for restricted agents, compared with orders placed during other periods (57.0% vs 49.9%; P = .02). Surgical patients for whom antimicrobial therapy orders were placed between 10:00 PM and 10:59 PM were less likely to have that antimicrobial therapy continued, compared with patients whose therapy was ordered between 9:00 PM and 9:59 PM (60.0% vs 98.1%; P <.001). Nonsurgical patients whose therapy orders were placed between 10:00PM and 10:59 PM were also less likely to have the ordered antimicrobial therapy continued, compared with patients whose therapy was ordered between 9:00 PM and 9:59 PM (70.8% vs 84.2%; P = .01). Conclusion. Physicians avoid having to obtain prior approval for therapy involving restricted antimicrobials by waiting until restrictions are no longer active to place orders. Compared with restricted antimicrobial therapy ordered when the ASP is active, these courses of therapy are less often continued by the ASP, suggesting that they are more likely to be in conflict with guidelines or unnecessary.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial Stewardship and Its Impact on the Changing Epidemiology of Polymyxin Use in a South Indian Healthcare Setting

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 470
Author(s):  
Dipu T. Sathyapalan ◽  
Jini James ◽  
Sangita Sudhir ◽  
Vrinda Nampoothiri ◽  
Praveena N. Bhaskaran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Loading Dose ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship Program ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
South Indian ◽  
Implementation Period ◽  
The Right

Polymyxins being last resort drugs to treat infections triggered by multidrug-resistant pathogens necessitates the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) initiatives to support its rational prescription across healthcare settings. Our study aims to describe the change in the epidemiology of polymyxins and patient outcomes following the implementation of ASP at our institution. The antimicrobial stewardship program initiated in February 2016 at our 1300 bed tertiary care center involved post-prescriptive audits tracking polymyxin consumption and evaluating prescription appropriateness in terms of the right indication, right frequency, right drug, right duration of therapy and administration of the right loading dose (LD) and maintenance dose (MD). Among the 2442 polymyxin prescriptions tracked over the entire study period ranging from February 2016 to January 2020, the number of prescriptions dropped from 772 prescriptions in the pre-implementation period to an average of 417 per year during the post-implementation period, recording a 45% reduction. The quarterly patient survival rates had a significant positive correlation with the quarterly prescription appropriateness rates (r = 0.4774, p = 0.02), right loading dose (r = 0.5228, p = 0.015) and right duration (r = 0.4361, p = 0.04). Our study on the epidemiology of polymyxin use demonstrated favorable effects on the appropriateness of prescriptions and mortality benefits after successful implementation of antimicrobial stewardship in a real-world setting.

scholarly journals Effects of a Paediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program on Antimicrobial Use and Quality of Prescriptions in Patients with Appendix-Related Intraabdominal Infections

Antibiotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Sílvia Simó ◽  
Eneritz Velasco-Arnaiz ◽  
María Ríos-Barnés ◽  
María Goretti López-Ramos ◽  
Manuel Monsonís ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Length Of Therapy ◽  
Intraabdominal Infections

The effectiveness of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) in reducing antimicrobial use (AU) in children has been proved. Many interventions have been described suitable for different institution sizes, priorities, and patients, with surgical wards being one of the areas that may benefit the most. We aimed to describe the results on AU and length of stay (LOS) in a pre-post study during the three years before (2014–2016) and the three years after (2017–2019) implementation of an ASP based on postprescription review with feedback in children and adolescents admitted for appendix-related intraabdominal infections (AR-IAI) in a European Referral Paediatric University Hospital. In the postintervention period, the quality of prescriptions (QP) was also evaluated. Overall, 2021 AR-IAIs admissions were included. Global AU, measured both as days of therapy/100 patient days (DOT/100PD) and length of therapy (LOT), and global LOS remained unchanged in the postintervention period. Phlegmonous appendicitis LOS (p = 0.003) and LOT (p < 0.001) significantly decreased, but not those of other AR-IAI diagnoses. The use of piperacillin–tazobactam decreased by 96% (p = 0.044), with no rebound in the use of other Gram-negative broad-spectrum antimicrobials. A quasisignificant (p = 0.052) increase in QP was observed upon ASP implementation. Readmission and case fatality rates remained stable. ASP interventions were safe, and they reduced LOS and LOT of phlegmonous appendicitis and the use of selected broad-spectrum antimicrobials, while increasing QP in children with AR-IAI.

Deep Spinal Infection after Outpatient Epidural Injections for Pain: A Retrospective Sample Cohort Study Using a Claims Database in South Korea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang-Soon Lee ◽  
Young Jae Park ◽  
Jee Youn Moon ◽  
Yong-Chul Kim
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Epidural Injection ◽  
Spinal Infection ◽  
Single Shot ◽  
Epidural Injections ◽  
Spinal Infections

Background Deep spinal infection is a devastating complication after epidural injection. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of deep spinal infection primarily after outpatient single-shot epidural injection for pain. Secondarily, this study assessed the national trends of the procedure and risk factors for said infection. Methods Using South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service sample cohort database, the 10-yr national trend of single-shot epidural injections for pain and the incidence rate of deep spinal infection after the procedure with its risk factors were determined. New-onset deep spinal infections were defined as those occurring within 90 days of the most recent outpatient single-shot epidural injection for pain, needing hospitalization for at least 1 night, and receiving at least a 4-week course of antibiotics. Results The number of outpatient single-shot epidural injections per 1,000 persons in pain practice doubled from 40.8 in 2006 to 84.4 in 2015 in South Korea. Among the 501,509 injections performed between 2007 and 2015, 52 cases of deep spinal infections were detected within 90 days postprocedurally (0.01% per injection). In multivariable analysis, age of 65 yr or more (odds ratio, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.62 to 5.5; P = 0.001), living in a rural area (odds ratio, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.57 to 5.0; P &lt; 0.001), complicated diabetes (odds ratio, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.30 to 6.7; P = 0.005), multiple epidural injections (three times or more) within the previous 90 days (odds ratio, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.22 to 4.2; P = 0.007), and recent use of immunosuppressants (odds ratio, 2.90; 95% CI, 1.00 to 6.7; P = 0.025) were significant risk factors of the infection postprocedurally. Conclusions The incidence of deep spinal infection after outpatient single-shot epidural injections for pain is very rare within 90 days of the procedure (0.01%). The data identify high-risk patients and procedure characteristics that may inform healthcare provider decision-making. Editor’s Perspective What We Already Know about This Topic What This Article Tells Us That Is New

scholarly journals Promoting Antimicrobial Stewardship Education Among Pediatricians Through a Maintenance of Certification Part 4 Quality Impro

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. s29-s29
Author(s):  
Prachi Singh ◽  
Brian Lee ◽  
Jenna Holmen
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Surgical Patients ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Maintenance Of Certification ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis ◽  
Baseline Knowledge ◽  
Initial Survey ◽  
The Impact

Background: The rise of antimicrobial resistance has made it critical for clinicians to understand antimicrobial stewardship principles. We sought to determine whether the opportunity to participate in an American Board of Pediatrics Maintenance of Certification Part 4 (MOC4) quality improvement (QI) project would engage pediatricians and improve their knowledge about antimicrobial stewardship. Methods: In August 2019, a new clinical algorithm for acute appendicitis, spearheaded by the antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP), was implemented at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland to standardize care and optimize antimicrobial use. Medical staff were invited to participate in a QI project evaluating the impact of this algorithm. Data were collected for the 2 quarters preceding implementation (baseline), for the quarter of implementation (transition period), and for the quarter after implementation. Participants were offered MOC4 credit for reviewing these 3 cycles of data and associated materials highlighting information about antimicrobial stewardship. An initial survey was given to participants to assess their baseline knowledge via 4 questions about antimicrobial use in surgical patients (Table 1). At the conclusion of the QI project, another survey was conducted to reassess participant knowledge and to evaluate overall satisfaction with the project. Results: In total, 150 clinicians completed the initial survey. Of these, 44% were general pediatricians and 56% were pediatric subspecialists. Based on years out of training, their levels of experience varied: >20 years in 24%, 11–20 years in 32.7%, 0–10 years in 34.7%, and currently in training in 8.7%. Of the 150 initial participants, 133 (89%) completed the QI project and the second survey. Between surveys, there was significant improvement in knowledge about the appropriate timing and duration of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (Table 1). Moreover, 88% of participants responded that the QI project was extremely effective in helping them learn about antimicrobial stewardship principles and about ASP interventions. Conclusions: Participation in this MOC4 QI project resulted in significant improvement in knowledge about antimicrobial use in surgical patients, and the activity was perceived as a highly effective way to learn about antimicrobial stewardship. QI projects that leverage MOC4 credit can be a powerful tool for engaging pediatricians and disseminating education about antimicrobial stewardship.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

scholarly journals Antimicrobial stewardship program in China’s tertiary hospitals in 2018: a nationwide cross-sectional online survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Zhou ◽  
Haishaerjiang Wushouer ◽  
Xi Zhang ◽  
Jiajia Feng ◽  
Likai Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Clinical Pathways ◽  
Popular Science ◽  
Outcome Evaluation ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Prescription Audit ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Tertiary Hospitals

Abstract Background The study aimed to assess the development of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program in China’s tertiary hospitals to identify the potential challenges for AMS program and provide references and benchmarks for strategic policymaking. Methods A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted online by sending questionnaires to tertiary hospitals under China Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (CARSS) between November 1, 2018 and December 10, 2018. The questionnaire included 5 sections regarding structure, technical support, antimicrobial use management, antimicrobial use surveillance and education. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results Of 1044 tertiary hospitals under CARSS, 13.4% (140) hospitals participated in the study. Among them, 99.3% (139/140) set up AMS program. Hospital president (82.1%, 115/140) and medical service department (59.3%, 83/140) were responsible for AMS outcomes in most hospitals. Structured antimicrobial formulary restriction management was adopted by 99.3% (139/140) hospitals. Infection disease department, infection control department and microbiological laboratories were established in 87.1% (122/140), 99.3% (139/140), and 100% (140/140) hospitals, respectively. Up to 85.6% (124/140) hospitals applied clinical pathways and 33.6% (47/140) hospitals implemented hospital-specific guidelines for infectious diseases. Outpatient prescription audit, inpatient prescription audit and prophylactic antimicrobial prescription audit of aseptic operation were performed in 99.3% (139/140), 98.6% (138/140) and 95.7% (134/140) hospitals, respectively. Up to 97.1% (136/140) hospitals participated in antimicrobial use surveillance network and 99.3% (139/140) hospitals established the specialized management of carbapenem and tigecycline. Staff education and AMS-related popular science education were provided with different ways and frequency in 100% (140/140) and 88.6% (124/140) hospitals, respectively. Conclusions AMS in China’s tertiary hospitals were primarily headed by hospital presidents and involved collaboration among various disciplines and administrative departments. More efforts should be put into further promoting and strengthening the development of hospital-specific guidelines and the establishment of progress and outcome evaluation system.

scholarly journals Examining Workflow in a Pediatric Emergency Department to Develop a Clinical Decision Support for an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

2018 ◽  
Vol 09 (02) ◽  
pp. 248-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Ozkaynak ◽  
Danny Wu ◽  
Katia Hannah ◽  
Peter Dayan ◽  
Rakesh Mistry
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Clinical Decision Support ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Time Allocation ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Decision Points ◽  
Stewardship Program

Background Clinical decision support (CDS) embedded into the electronic health record (EHR), is a potentially powerful tool for institution of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) in emergency departments (EDs). However, design and implementation of CDS systems should be informed by the existing workflow to ensure its congruence with ED practice, which is characterized by erratic workflow, intermittent computer interactions, and variable timing of antibiotic prescription. Objective This article aims to characterize ED workflow for four provider types, to guide future design and implementation of an ED-based ASP using the EHR. Methods Workflow was systematically examined in a single, tertiary-care academic children's hospital ED. Clinicians with four roles (attending, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, resident) were observed over a 3-month period using a tablet computer-based data collection tool. Structural observations were recorded by investigators, and classified using a predetermined set of activities. Clinicians were queried regarding timing of diagnosis and disposition decision points. Results A total of 23 providers were observed for 90 hours. Sixty-four different activities were captured for a total of 6,060 times. Among these activities, nine were conducted at different frequency or time allocation across four roles. Moreover, we identified differences in sequential patterns across roles. Decision points, whereby clinicians then proceeded with treatment, were identified 127 times. The most common decision points identified were: (1) after/during examining or talking to patient or relative; (2) after talking to a specialist; and (3) after diagnostic test/image was resulted and discussed with patient/family. Conclusion The design and implementation of CDS for ASP should support clinicians in various provider roles, despite having different workflow patterns. The clinicians make their decisions about treatment at different points of overall care delivery practice; likewise, the CDS should also support decisions at different points of care.

scholarly journals 1064. Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at a Large Academic Medical Center, Impact Over 12 Years

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S376-S377
Author(s):  
Susan E Kline ◽  
Kimberly Boeser ◽  
Jeana Houseman ◽  
Samantha Saunders ◽  
Shawnda Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Downward Trend ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship Program ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Abstract Background The University of Minnesota Medical Center (UMMC) is a tertiary care facility, which has had a comprehensive antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) for 12 years. Methods The antimicrobial stewardship team is comprised of a full-time PharmD and ID staff physicians. Recommendations are placed in the electronic medical record as a progress note. Verbal recommendations may also be made. Results There was a downward trend in Hospital-acquired (HA) C. difficile diarrhea from 2007 to 2014 from 1.2 to 0.5/1000 patient-days (pt day). Rates appear stable from 2014 to 2019 with adjustment for change to NHSN lab-based CDI surveillance (Figure 1). From 2009 to 2019 a decrease was seen in VRE hospital-acquired infections (HAI) from 0.53 to 0.21/1,000 patient-days and in MRSA HAIs from 0.2 to 0.14/1,000 patient-days. Newly acquired ESBL HAIs have remained relatively stable from 2009 to 2019 at 0.09 to 0.05/1,000 patient-days. CRE HAIs are low but stable rates at 0.02/1,000 patient-days (Figure 2). We track antimicrobial utilization for internal and national reporting (starting in July 2017). A SAAR for all Antibacterial agents (ICUs, wards, and oncology units) of 1.33 in 2018. Our top four agents average DOT; piperacillin/tazobactam (66.81), cefepime (34.40), oral levofloxacin (23.56) and intravenous meropenem (21.49). We demonstrate lower average DOT for our restricted antimicrobials (206.21) as compared with our nonrestricted antimicrobials (236.74) (Figure 3). Cost savings continued from year to year. After adjusting for inflation annually, our expected costs ($84.08) compared with actual costs ($40.12 ytd 2019), demonstrates effective cost management of antimicrobial agents. (Figure 4) Conclusion We observed a decrease in HAIs VRE and C. difficile infections after 3 years of operation, and MRSA after 5 years. This downward trend has continued. ESBL HAIs remain relatively stable and CRE are stable at low rates but remain emerging HAIs of concern. We are now focusing efforts on limiting unneeded fluoroquinolone and carbapenem use. We continue to analyze our SAAR data and internal DOT data to identify areas of opportunity to improve antimicrobial use. The ASP outcomes have continued to cost justify ongoing efforts. The effects of the program and the Infection Prevention Department appear to be synergistic. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

The role of electronic health record and “add-on” clinical decision support systems to enhance antimicrobial stewardship programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (05) ◽  
pp. 501-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristi M. Kuper ◽  
Jerod L. Nagel ◽  
Jarrod W. Kile ◽  
Larissa S. May ◽  
Francesca M. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Clinical Decision Support Systems ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship Program ◽  
Reporting Requirements ◽  
It Systems ◽  
Stewardship Program

AbstractIncreasingly, demands are placed on healthcare systems to meet antimicrobial stewardship standards and reporting requirements. This trend, combined with reduced financial and personnel resources, has created a need to adopt information technology (IT) to help ease these burdens and facilitate action. The incorporation of IT into an antimicrobial stewardship program can help improve stewardship intervention efficiencies and facilitate the tracking and reporting of key metrics, including outcomes. This paper provides a review of the stewardship-related functionality within these IT systems, describes how these platforms can be used to improve antimicrobial use, and identifies how they can support current and potential future antimicrobial stewardship regulatory and accreditation standards. Finally, recommendations to help close the gaps in existing systems are provided and suggestions for future areas of development within these programs are delineated.

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